No deal for prime vacant block: Lands Trust

Despite continuing speculation over a new use for a vacant Lands Trust Masterton block fronting Queen and Dixon Sts, there was "no deal on the plate", the trust's chairman said yesterday.

Alan Sadler said there was always speculation when a block of trust-owned land became vacant and the recent demolition of the old Plastalon building on Dixon St " has fired up even more conjecture".

"At the end of the day, we are getting the land ready for development but there is no deal on the plate," he said.

Rumours are rife around Masterton that one of two businesses are to take the site, either Harvey Norman or Countdown.

Harvey Norman has been subject to years of speculation over its impending arrival in Wairarapa.

A move by Countdown, owned by grocery giant Progressive Enterprises, to take the site would presumably be for expansion and would likely mean vacating its present building to relocate to the larger block further south on Queen St.

The land subject to speculation encompasses not only the old Plastalon site - which was used as a community centre in recent years - but the Queen St land once occupied by Dave Anderson Suzuki.

The trust owns the entire block, which includes TRC Toyota and a gym-dance studio.

Mr Sadler said the trust had invited people with an interest in a development to contact its offices and " various people" had been in touch.