The two-level building at 30 Franklin Rd, Pukekohe, housed a Kodak laboratory for over 20 years. Photo / Supplied
The two-level building at 30 Franklin Rd, Pukekohe, housed a Kodak laboratory for over 20 years. Photo / Supplied
A Pukekohe property, which housed a Kodak photo processing laboratory for more than 20 years, is now for sale with vacant possession – presenting a new owner with a number of options for its future use.
"It's well-positioned on the fringe of Pukekohe's CBD," says Shane Snijder of Bayleys Pukekohe office who, with colleagues Scott Penney and Virginia Zhou, is marketing 30 Franklin Rd for sale by auction.
Unless it sells earlier, the property will be among a wide range of commercial and industrial offerings to go under the hammer at Bayleys' Total Property auction next Wednesday, August 8.
The two-level, 827sq m building, occupies a rectangular 1161sq m freehold site on the Franklin Rd corner with Stadium Drive; and opposite Navigation Homes Stadium, home of the Counties Manukau Steelers rugby team.
"It's within walking distance of major retail outlets including a Countdown supermarket, Farmers department store, a Cinema 3 complex, Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre, the Pukekohe train station, numerous smaller retailers, cafes, restaurants and medical centres," Snijder says. He says the sale of the property provides opportunities for owner occupiers or add value investors and developers.
"Because of its premium location, the vacant building would suit a wide range of business activities. It could easily be converted to office premises, or used as an education or conference centre, bar and restaurant, or by a light industrial business.
"The site is under-used at the moment, with potential for the centrally-positioned building to be extended both at the front and to the rear."
"The property has the benefit of dual driveway access via its front entrance as well as to sealed land at the back which is used for parking. In total there would up at least 18 spaces available for customer and staff parking."
The property for sale is indicated in this aerial photo by a red border. Photo / Supplied
Penney says the property is zoned Business – Mixed Use under the Auckland Unitary Plan which permits a wide range of generally smaller scale commercial activities as well as residential development.
"The zoning is a very flexible one and allows for either commercial or residential development as a single use, or a combination of the two. A comprehensive set of plans has been drawn up by Avery Team Architects for a four-level apartment complex which makes full use of this very well-situated site," says Penny.
He says a purchaser could take these plans through to the resource consent stage or develop their own plans for the site which could include another type of accommodation complex, a commercial or mixed-use development with retail facilities on the ground floor and apartments above.
Snijder says Pukekohe has grown in popularity as a residential location because of the attractive price of housing there compared with many other parts of Auckland and the good public transport access it provides to other parts of Auckland.
"It has become particularly popular with young couples buying their first home as well as retirees, with Ryman recently opening the $100 million Possum Bourne Retirement Village close to the Pukekohe town centre.
"The growth of Pukekohe has also brought with it a range of new businesses, retailers, cafes and bars. It now has a thriving and buzzy town centre in which the council is keen to encourage more intensive residential and business development.
"Auckland Council also sees Pukekohe as playing an important role in the future of Auckland's southernmost area, accommodating the largest proportion of the former Franklin District's continuing strong growth.
"A substantial block of greenfields land surrounding Pukekohe has been designated Future Urban under the Unitary Plan. This is a transitional zone to help cater for Auckland's residential and commercial growth over the next 30 years which allows land to be used for rural purposes until it is released for development."
Snijder says a number of major developments are underway in the area. These include Paerata Rise, a new lifestyle community being developed next to Wesley College between Karaka and Pukekohe which will comprise 4500 houses.
The staged, 15-year development of a new 300ha industrial subdivision around Stevenson Group's quarrying operations in Drury is expected to create more than 8000 jobs and increase demand for housing and business services in the area.
