Chance to grow near new town centre

The two development sites for sale at 170 and 180 Chapel Rd, Flat Bush.

Two large development sites in the growing Flat Bush area in south-east Auckland are up for sale for the first time in eight years.

One has had conditional resource consent for a mixed-use retail development.

"Overall the two sites present an opportunity for development into intensive residential townhouses and apartments with some commercial activities," said James Chan of Bayleys Auckland, who is marketing them in conjunction with Ben Bayley of Bayleys Manukau.

They are for sale separately by auction on October 23 as part of Bayleys' latest Greater Auckland portfolio.

The sites at 170 and 180 Chapel Rd comprise 1.366ha of bare land in two parcels and are close to the proposed Flat Bush town centre, to be developed in a joint venture with the Auckland City Council. The site closest to the proposed town centre, 180 Chapel Rd, is 7461sq m, and 170 Chapel Rd is 6200sq m.

Both sites have multiple road frontages. No. 180 has 95m of road frontage on to Chapel Rd, plus access off Ormiston Rd, Fusion Way and to Triumph Rd. No. 170 has frontage on to Fusion Way and Triumph and Chapel Rds.

Chan said the vendor gained resource consent for a mixed-use retail development provided there was parking for 321 parks cars on site for 170 Chapel Rd.

"This consent has now lapsed and the owner has decided to put the two sites up for sale separately," he said.

The original proposal allowed for four blocks of apartments, the highest having eight levels, with retail at ground-floor level.

But Chan said any development of the property, zoned Flat Bush Residential 1, would now possibly take a different form.

The zone primarily has a residential emphasis although it is envisaged that home-based and small scale business activities will form a part of the urban fabric.

The two sites border the Ormiston Hospital and are opposite Barry Curtis Park and in an area of significant residential growth.

"This area will continue to be the focus of significant growth over the next few years because of the major development planned for Flat Bush which has been selected as the site for a new town centre," Bayley said.

Flat Bush will be New Zealand's largest and most comprehensively planned new town, taking shape on about 1700ha of land. It will eventually be home to about 40,000 people.

Stage one began in 2001 and a decision on the plan change for stage two of the development was made late last year. Earthworks have just begun on the 19ha town centre, which will incorporate commercial, residential and recreational aspects and will be integrated with Sir Barry Curtis Park. Bayley says the adjacent suburb of East Tamaki is one of New Zealand's largest commercial and industrial precincts with more than 2.1 million sq m of commercial and industrial floor space.

www.bayleys.co.nz /346735