The former Waiwera campground on the waterfront with bush behind it, advertised for sale. Photo / Colliers
The former Waiwera campground on the waterfront with bush behind it, advertised for sale. Photo / Colliers
Owners of a former seaside campground at Waiwera have put the property up for sale after two years ago demolishing the closed thermal resort buildings, slides, pools and structures.
Colliers wants offers by March 20 for the 1.7ha property at 37 Waiwera Place, calling it a significant coastaldevelopment opportunity.
The former campground is near the old Waiwera Thermal Spa Resort, which was abandoned, vandalised and eventually demolished in 2023.
But some locals were sceptical about whether the former campground will sell, voicing disappointment that the pools were replaced by a pile of weed-ridden rubble.
The deserted ex-campground was at least peaceful because it was largely bare land, bringing very few people to the beach where locals swim.
“It’s nice for us that the beach is so quiet,” one local said.
The pools once drew thousands of people to the area.
“Locals are not that impressed with how they left the pool site full of cracked concrete and a rubble pile. The place is looking terrible. The whole centre of the township is an eyesore now,” he said.
How the thermal pools complex looked before the 2023 demolition. This was a once-thriving attraction. Photo / Paul Menezes
Waiwera Property Investments, directed by Haydn and Mark Staples, owns the former campground, which Auckland Council lists as having a $12.4 million valuation, drawing $23,000 in annual rates.
The pools, water bottling site and ex-campground are owned by interests associated with the Staples’ business, Urban Partners.
For years, that company has wanted to sell or form an arrangement for its large land holding.
“The coast is now clear for the once thriving seaside town of Waiwera to receive some therapy of its own,” Urban Partners said.
It wanted expressions of interest for a joint venture partner or purchase of the location.
Not a trip you'd want to take: Waiwera Thermal Resort.
Asked today about the ex-campground sale, an Urban Partners spokesman said that presented a unique opportunity on a prime waterfront site with established infrastructure.
“The prior sales campaign in 2022 was disrupted by the Covid economic environment. It is a much more positive market now as we seek expressions of interest on the site,” he said.
Answering critics on the thermal resort, that had became unsalvageable and unsafe, he said.
“We took action to demolish it. We acknowledge and appreciate the Waiwera community for their support and patience.
“It has always been our goal to find a partner dedicated to restoring the site as a leading thermal bathing destination. We continue to work towards this goal and will share updates at the appropriate time,” he said today.
Almost gone: work started in late 2023 to demolish the thermal pools complex at Waiwera. Photo / Urban Partners
The landowners have struck a deal with the council’s water utility business.
A development agreement with Watercare to connect to wastewater services was secured, positioning this site potentially years ahead of any non-consented site, given a recent announcement from Watercare about limited capacity to develop in alternative Hibiscus Coast locations, Colliers said.
The 17,781sq m site at the southern end of Waiwera Beach was a significant opportunity 45 minutes from Auckland’s CBD, Colliers added.
A local said it wasn’t surprising Urban Partners sought to quit that land separately because attempts to get deals on the larger portions had come to nothing so far.
Doug Osborne, Urban Partners’ project director, said the company “always treasured this site and we acknowledge the vibrant wellness industry is not our core expertise, hence why we are seeking an external party who can ensure the site delivers an operation commensurate with the location and its wider natural attributes”.
An artist's impression of developers Urban Partners' planned retail and housing redevelopment of a waterfront section in Mission Bay, Auckland.
Urban Partners also owns property in Paihia in the Bay of Islands, the large-format Southgate shopping centre in Takanini and Mission Bay The Promenade.
Mission Bay has been a focus for the Staples’ Drive Holdings: “With over 60% ownership of the commercial area, Urban Partners continues to investigate and implement tenancy mix options and future development opportunities with a vision of transforming Mission Bay into a world class mixed-use precinct.”
A $200m waterfront Mission Bay retail, apartment, cinema and office scheme was planned last decade, with the multi-level residential and shop scheme by Drive Holdings to be sited on the corner of Tāmaki Drive, Patteson Ave and Marau Cres.
Plans for the big Mission Bay development.
In 2019, independent hearing commissioners for Auckland Council rejected the scheme. In 2021, the Environment Court heard an appeal but it also rejected it, based on over-height plans, contrary to opposition from residents, Auckland Council and experts.
The tallest building would have been eight storeys or 28m high compared to the Auckland Unitary Plan’s 18m.
The proposal was to demolish all existing buildings and build two basement levels and seven detached and semi-detached buildings above, from four to eight storeys, arranged around an internal, raised plaza space. Offices, about 100 apartments, car parks and a cinema were envisaged.
But 699 submissions were received by the council: 626 opposed plans, 70 supported them and three were neutral.
Drive Holdings redesigned the scheme and at the High Court at Auckland sought to overturn the Environment Court ruling, with a redesign meaning most buildings were five floors and more than 18m high.
Drive Holdings’ appeal against the Environment Court’s October 2021 judgment was dismissed in a move welcomed by locals and acknowledged by Urban Partners.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
