Major Expansion for Remarkables Park

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Retirement Village Artists Impression Remarkables Park

Artist Impression of Remarkables Park Mitre 10 Mega and Pak'nSave (PDF)
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Media Release from Remarkables Park
21 August 2007

MAJOR EXPANSION FOR REMARKABLES PARK

Queenstown’s large established developer, Porter Group, today (August 21) announced details of a major development expansion at Remarkables Park.

Porter Group subsidiary, Remarkables Park Limited, announced plans relating to the development of more than 50 hectares of the extensive 150ha Remarkables Park Zone.

Twelve and a half hectares of land will be developed as large format retail, ten hectares for much-needed employee accommodation, another ten hectares for potential development of schools, 15 hectares for golf and recreational facilities, two hectares for a retirement village and 1.5 hectares for hospital and aged care facilities.

Remarkables Park Limited director Alastair Porter said the developed value of these projects was $500 million and today’s announcement was the result of years of detailed planning by the company.

Remarkables Park had been in ongoing discussions with the Queenstown Lakes District Council offering some solutions to ongoing issues and needs of the Queenstown community, he said.

“We firmly believe that today’s far-reaching announcement will make a significant contribution to future development of community facilities for the district, “ he said.

“These expansion plans are based on a vision that was established many years ago for the development of Remarkables Park. There’s still plenty more development to come, but today’s announcement is another major stepping stone towards achieving our aims.”

The large format retail area will be initially established with two major stores, including the region’s first bulk supermarket, a 6600sqm PAK’nSAVE and a large Mitre 10 Mega home improvement store..

A 152-unit retirement village together with a health precinct including a new private hospital, expanded medical centre, provision of land for an aged care facility, an appearance medicine clinic, and an accident and emergency department are also in the pipeline.

Cook Retirement Village Group Limited (CRVG) is to develop the retirement village on an adjacent site. The Queenstown Medical Centre is to develop an expanded primary care facility in conjunction with a new hospital.

Community facilities will also include a large Lollipops Educare centre and up to 1,000 employee accommodation units provided for to cater for increased accommodation needs.

“We’re delighted to reach this point in our planning and to have gathered around us other providers who can assist us to deliver these facilities to Queenstown,” said Mr Porter.

Resource consents for the PAK’nSAVE and Mitre 10 Mega will be lodged next week, with the building of the retirement village and new medical facilities expected to begin in 2008.

Porter Group, the principals behind two of Queenstown’s largest development companies, Remarkables Park Limited and Shotover Park Limited, are the driving force behind the new initiatives. Remarkables Park Limited is the developer of Remarkables Park Town Centre, where national and regional retailers currently represented include: New World, The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Smiths City, Mitre 10, Dick Smith, Hannahs, Video Ezy, ASB Bank, Flight Centre, H&J Smith department store, element sports store, Wild South and Lifesense. The Centre also includes a large pharmacy, medical centre, appearance medicine clinic, physiotherapist, natural medicine, a family hair salon, and a restaurant and café.

Shotover Park Limited is major light commercial land developer in Queenstown.

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Media Release from Remarkables Park
21 August 2007

HUGE RETAILERS ANCHOR MAJOR REMARKABLES PARK EXPANSION

Two of New Zealand’s leading retailers are anchoring a major expansion into large format retail for Queenstown’s largest retail developer Remarkables Park Limited.

Bulk supermarket retailer PAK’nSAVE, which prides itself on providing New Zealand’s lowest food prices, and home improvement giant Mitre 10 Mega announced today (21 August) that they are making applications to open large format stores adjacent to the Remarkables Park Town Centre.

The PAK’nSAVE will be 5,800sqm, approximately 75% bigger than the existing New World at Remarkables Park. The Mitre 10 Mega store will be a massive 8,450sqm, four times bigger than the existing Mitre10.

Foodstuffs South Island General Manager Retail Development Roger Davidson said PAK 'nSAVE was “delighted” to be opening at Remarkables Park as part of their long term plans to service the district.

“Growth in the area has exploded in the last four or five years, and although PAK’nSAVE does have the ability to draw people from a wider area, the Wakatipu Basin alone is predicted to be large enough to justify this type of development,” he said.

“PAK‘nSAVE brings a new lower price point to the market with its bulk discount grocery lines. As such it will further help to make Queenstown a more affordable place to live for the resident community and visitors.”

Mr Davidson said the Remarkables Park PAK’nSAVE would also have its own fuel pumps, offering discounts to shoppers at the store.

The PAK’nSAVE will employ about 150 full-time employees, so Mr Davidson said the availability of employee accommodation was extremely important. He said his company was interested to work with Remarkables Park to develop their new employee accommodation initiative.

Invercargill-based businessman Acton Smith, whose company will develop the Mitre 10 Mega store, described the plans as “the most exciting development I’ve ever been involved in.”

Mr Smith said his company had supported the Remarkables Park development from its inception.

“We’ve been involved with Remarkables Park since the beginning, first with Mitre 10, then H&J Smith and then element sports store. By the time we’d finished building the first Mitre 10 in 2000, it was already too small – such is the growth in this area. I’ve always believed in Remarkables Park and its concept of integrated, staged development.”

Mr Smith said Queenstown needed a community place. “Downtown Queenstown is increasingly a tourist destination and parking is in short supply.”

Mr Smith said Porter Group’s subsidiary, Remarkables Park Limited, had created an excellent masterplan.

“Remarkables Park is a convenient shopping destination for locals and visitors alike. It’s customer friendly with a great range of shopping and plenty of store front free parking. It’s also easily accessed from the state highways.”

Mr Smith assured Queenstowners that the Mitre 10 Mega store would be attractive.

“There’s some architectural tweaking taking place now to ensure Remarkables Park’s stringent design rules are adhered to,” he said. “This certainly won’t be a big orange box. It’s also in the perfect location – it’s been proven throughout the world that the best place for large format retail development is next door to an existing shopping development. ”

Resource consents for PAK’nSAVE and Mitre 10 will be submitted to the Queenstown Lakes District Council next week.

The announcement came today as Porter Group’s subsidiary Remarkables Park Limited unveiled major expansion plans. Plans include a large format retail centre (as described above), an integrated community care plan for a retirement village, hospital, medical centre, childcare centre, provision of land for an aged care facility, and expansive employee accommodation capable of providing 1000 housing units near the new large format retail.

Remarkables Park Limited is a significant Queenstown retail developer. National and regional retailers currently represented at the Remarkables Park Town Centre include: New World, The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Noel Leeming, Smiths City, Dick Smith, Hannahs, Video Ezy, ASB Bank, Flight Centre, H&J Smith department store, element sports store, Wild South and Lifesense. Also represented are a large pharmacy, medical centre, appearance medicine clinic, physiotherapist, natural medicine, a family hair salon, and a restaurant and café.

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Media Release from Remarkables Park
21 August 2007

INTEGRATED HEALTH AND COMMUNITY CARE FACILITIES PLANNED FOR REMARKABLES PARK ZONE

Remarkables Park today (August 21) announced a plan to establish a cluster of integrated health and community care facilities in the Remarkables Park Zone.

The plan provides for a large 152-unit retirement village, with adjacent buildings to provide an expansion for Remarkables Park’s existing primary medical care service, Queenstown Medical Centre (QMC), together with a hospital, a future A&E department and appearance medicine clinic.

The plan also includes provision of land for an aged care facility.

Remarkables Park director, Alastair Porter was also pleased to announce that a large childcare facility was also planned adjacent to the healthcare facilities.

Russell Thompson, director of Lollipops Educare, confirmed the company was working on plans for a high quality childcare facility to cater for up to 100 children at Remarkables Park.

“We’re so positive about the demand for this facility that we are also taking an option over adjacent land for future growth,” he said.

QMC director Dr Hans Raetz said the new facilities would mark an important healthcare development for the Wakatipu.

“There are great benefits in clustering these facilities to keep patients, doctors and related services in close proximity. There are also the benefits of providing health care in this location where it’s sunny and level and close to shopping, restaurants and other facilities.”

Dr Raetz commended Remarkables Park on its planning for all sectors of the community.

“Remarkables Park’s latest plans look to present ideal solutions for some of our most pressing community needs,” he said.

Plans for all these facilities are well advanced and resource consents for the retirement village, medical centre and hospital are expected to be filed with the Queenstown Lakes District Council within the next few months.

The announcement came today as Porter Group’s subsidiary Remarkables Park Limited unveiled major expansion plans. Plans also include a large format retail centre and extensive employee accommodation capable of providing 1000 housing units near the new large format retail.

Remarkables Park Limited is a significant Queenstown retail developer. National and regional retailers currently represented at the Remarkables Park Town Centre include: New World, The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Smiths City, Mitre 10, Dick Smith, Hannahs, Video Ezy, ASB Bank, Flight Centre, H&J Smith department store, element sports store, Wild South and Lifesense. The Centre also includes a large pharmacy, medical centre, appearance medicine clinic, physiotherapist, natural medicine, a family hair salon, and a restaurant and café.

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Media Release from Remarkables Park
21 August 2007

EXTENSIVE EMPLOYEE ACCOMMODATION PLANS FOR REMARKABLES PARK

Up to 1000 employee accommodation units are planned for sunny, level land in the northern area of the Remarkables Park Zone, close to a planned new large format retail extension of the successful Remarkables Park Shopping Centre.

“We are entering a more intense phase of development that will provide a broad range of new facilities at Remarkables Park,” said Remarkables Park director Alastair Porter.

“Our accommodation plans include a range of options from executive-style living, through to shared arrangements more suitable for younger or single people.”

The units will be built as part of Remarkables Park’s staged development and employers within the Zone are expected to be major stakeholders in the project.

Acton Smith, owner of H & J Smith, Mitre 10 and sports retailer element, said he was right behind the new accommodation plans.

“My staff ranges from casual workers through to management. Our development plans for Remarkables Park mean we will need at least 12 units as soon as they are constructed. Employee accommodation will provide us with an ideal solution as it will, I’m sure, for many other businesses at Remarkables Park.

“The great location, which is close to work, transport and future amenities, and the diversity of housing will be very welcome.”

The announcement came today (21 August) as Porter Group’s subsidiary Remarkables Park Limited unveiled major expansion plans. Plans include a large format retail centre anchored by two of New Zealand’s leading national retail brands, PAK’nSAVE and Mitre 10 Mega, an integrated health and community care facilities precinct including a retirement village, medical centre, hospital, provision of land for an aged care facility, and a large childcare centre as well as extensive employee accommodation (described above).

Remarkables Park Limited is a significant Queenstown retail developer. National and regional retailers currently represented at the Remarkables Park Town Centre include: New World, The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Smiths City, Mitre 10, Dick Smith, Hannahs, Video Ezy, ASB Bank, Flight Centre, H&J Smith department store, element sports store, Wild South and Lifesense. The Centre also includes a restaurant, café, a large pharmacy, medical centre, appearance medicine clinic, physiotherapist, natural medicine and a family hair salon. High quality offices are also an expanding part of this Centre.

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Media Release
21 August 2007

COOK RETIREMENT VILLAGE GROUP PURCHASES SITE FOR RETIREMENT VILLAGE AT REMARKABLES PARK, QUEENSTOWN

Cook Retirement Village Group Limited (CRVG) has purchased a two-hectare site within Remarkables Park for the development of a retirement village.

Queenstown’s first comprehensive retirement village will include up to 152 luxury apartments and a wide range of indoor and outdoor facilities, including a bowling green, croquet, billiards room, dining and lounge facilities, swimming pool, hobbies room, library and gym.

Chief Executive designate Richard Davis said location was a major factor in the company’s decision to purchase at Remarkables Park.

“It is important for residents to be in close proximity to shops and services, and the site is adjacent to a proposed new medical centre, hospital and PAK’nSAVE supermarket sites,” he said.

Mr Davis said Remarkables Park’s setback from the mountains meant it enjoyed the town’s best all-day sun.

“This warm aspect is particularly important for residents. Combined with many other benefits including 360-degree mountain views, a level site, and access to future amenities including extensive walking trails, the river’s edge and fishing, plus nearby golf, and much more, made Remarkables Park by far the best site for a village we could find anywhere in Queenstown.

“We are excited to bring this comprehensive retirement living package to Queenstown and look forward to welcoming the first new residents to the village. We expect to commence site works late 2008.”

CRVG’s principal shareholder is Cliff Cook. Mr Cook has over 27 years’ experience in the New Zealand private healthcare industry and was the founder of Metlifecare Limited. He is a founding and former executive member and Chairman of The Retirement Villages Association of New Zealand Inc. He was a founding member of Residential Care NZ Inc. and has served on the Association’s national executive.

Mr Cook commented “The quality of the town centre at Remarkables Park and the overall master plan is entirely complementary to our proposal, and in my view one of the best retirement village sites I have ever secured.”

CRVG has a village on Waiheke Island and a number of additional retirement village projects underway in Auckland. CRVG has identified some prime sites in Sydney and Melbourne and expects to make an announcement on these in the near future.

CRVG is targeting to have at least ten villages in Australasia within five years.

“We are excited by future prospects for the company and look forward to developing our niche as the leading provider of high quality retirement villages in Australasia,” said Mr Cook.

ENDS

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