Developer with taste for open spaces

Timothy Terence Manning, of Taradale Properties, is an Auckland developer and long-distance runner.

The Takapuna entrepreneur last month competed in the Coast-to-Coast race, an endurance event from one side of the South Island to the other involving mountain running, cycling and kayaking.

Manning confessed before the race that running was his passion out of the three disciplines and that although he now lives in a central-city Auckland apartment, he still runs long distances and trains on Tamaki Drive.

Manning is one of Auckland's most successful multi-density housing developers but says he cannot recall exactly how many units he has built.

In 2001 he said he hoped to complete about 250 units.

Manning's projects have often been on the outskirts of Auckland and have pushed out its boundaries, to the north at Albany with projects such as the 105-unit Grange, and to the south-east at Botany Downs, where he built the ambitious Sacramento, a 224-unit development done in 11 styles.

Taradale built in Rotorua and Queenstown and sought to dominate the condominium-lifestyle unit market in New Zealand. Its largest project was Sacramento.

But late last year residents of many Taradale properties were complaining of leaks.

Manning said in October that he had commissioned a full investigation of leaks at Sacramento, the 61-unit Vista Rosa in Mt Albert, the 44-apartment Norfolk Pines development at Albany and the Grange.

Just before Christmas, Manning shut down six companies involved in managing and leasing units at Taradale-developed resorts in Queenstown and Rotorua.

Liquidators say the companies owe at least $1 million, went into full liquidation last month and creditors will get less than 50c in the dollar.