Whangarei CBD landholding seen as catalyst for city’s future

A strategic landholding identified as being the future catalyst for bridging Whangarei’s commercial and retail CBD with the city’s burgeoning waterfront hospitality and tourism hub, has been placed on the market for sale or lease.

The sizeable triangular site occupying the corner of Reyburn Street and Carruth Street, borders two areas identified as key locations in Whangarei District Council’s long-term strategic planning guideline – a report entitled Whangarei 20/20+.

The plan breaks down Whangarei’s CBD into six distinct zones - in a similar format to what has been done with Auckland and Wellington’s inner-city commercial, retail and residential neighbourhoods.

The Reyburn/Carruth intersection is located within a zone surrounded by the five other precincts, and importantly straddles the city’s commercial centre and the evolving waterfront zone around the city’s town basin.

“The key challenge for the town basin precinct is to open up and integrate the area through to a major boulevard that will catalyse the connection between the Town Basin and the CBD retail core,” says the 20/20+ planning report.

The block bridging Whangarei’s CBD with the burgeoning town basin area has been identified in the plan as being suitable for mixed-use retail and low-rise apartment-style residential units – including the potential for retired living accommodation.

The 5087 square metre Reyburn/Carruth property - zoned business 2 - is being marketed for sale or lease by Bayleys Whangarei. The site is currently used as Toyota dealership. The main two-storied building on site has a net lettable floor space of 1595 square metres, together with high profile car display area.

Recently appointed Bayleys Northland commercial manager Ross Blackmore said the opportunity existed for any new owner of the land to either take a strategic long-term view of the property and develop infrastructure and buildings in line with the council’s 20/20+ plan, or push ahead with alternative uses in a considerably shorter time frame.

“The substantial office and workshop building facing Pack ‘N’ Save allows for holding income to be generated while consents and plans are drawn up for any alternative use for the remainder of the site,” Mr Blackmore said.

“High traffic flows are fundamental to the business strategies of many commercial occupiers, and the Reyburn/Carruth intersection – enjoying the added benefit of being at the pivot of a major roundabout – has some of the highest daily vehicle counts in Whangarei,” Mr Blackmore said.

The property is owned by Northland businessman Sid Anderson, who said the council’s more ’visionary’ 20/20+ plan suggested uses for the site could evolve in parallel with Whangarei’s changing population demographic.

“The idea of apartment dwellings for example is somewhat foreign to many people in Whangarei in its current state. But as the region’s population ages in the coming decades, and the town basin matures into an open-plan hospitality and social event magnet, this perception could certainly change as retirees for example chose to live close to the heart of the city supported by its social amenities and healthcare provisions,” he said.

“With mixed-use retail units on a street-front level, the Reyburn/Carruth location would have good pedestrian flows from passing foot traffic as well as a residential population pool above. Plans for such developments would, I envisage, draw support from Whangarei District Council which was the main proponent of the 20/20+ planning document.”

Mr Anderson said the city’s CBD currently suffered what he called a ‘population vacuum’ after 5pm on weekdays and on weekends – with residents socialising and shopping in the suburbs rather than spending time in the heart of the city. Any re-invigoration of the city centre into a semblance of vibrancy would require a coordinated expansion of the hospitality and niche retail sectors, supported by an inner-city residential population.

The council’s 20/20+ plan allows for up to four-storied developments to be built on the Reyburn/Carruth site – supporting street-level retail or commercial units, with apartment living on the upper levels delivering views over the town basin marina and estuary.

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