Papamoa soon spoilt for choice as $10m retail development gets go ahead

How the planned new shopping centre at No. 1 Papamoa Beach Rd could look by the end of this year. Image/Supplied

A $10 million retail development featuring a mini supermarket and restaurant has been given the go ahead following the sale of a big block of land fronting Papamoa Beach Rd.

Conveniently located between Bayfair Shopping Centre and Papamoa Plaza, the long anticipated development will be sited at the entrance to Coast Papamoa Beach.

Construction was expected to begin by May, with a pre-Christmas opening anticipated by Peter Cooney whose company Classic Developments bought the site off Frasers Property, the developer of Coast.

Mr Cooney said he was well down the track in talks with Progressive Enterprises which operated the Countdown chain of supermarkets. He anticipated a mini supermarket like a FreshChoice store. A cafe and a restaurant and bar had been confirmed for the rest of the ground-floor retail.

Frasers Property development manager Kranish Reddy announced the sale of the site at No. 1 Papamoa Beach Rd. A condition of sale was that Classic Developments would seek consent and begin to secure retail leases.

"Frasers retains oversight of the overall look and feel of the retail centre," he said.

Mr Reddy said it would become an exciting drawcard for residents. Completion of the complex would coincide with the development of Coast Papamoa Beach reaching about 250 families within the next 12 months.

He said the retail precinct was part of the subdivision's master plan and was designed to service the area of Papamoa between Bayfair and Papamoa Plaza. People were excited about seeing the development of their "local".

"They can't wait to see it begin to take shape."

Nearby Oceania Sands Way resident Roger Tamblin welcomed the news, saying people had been talking about the development of a shopping centre for years.

At only 200m from his gate, he said he would definitely be using it.

"The bar and restaurant will be great, we'll be able to walk there."

Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless said that as traffic problems increased around the city, the less distance people had to travel to shop the better it would be.

He said the neighbourhood retail development at The Lakes was being very well patronised, with people going to dine also enjoying a walk around the area. He saw the same thing happening with the beach being so handy to the restaurant and cafe in the Coast retail precinct.

Mount/Papamoa councillor Leanne Brown said the location between Papamoa Plaza and Bayfair would help reduce traffic congestion.

"It will be within walking distance for a large number of people."

She highlighted the proximity to the hundreds of residents of the Monowai elder housing village and the Bayswater and Ocean Shores retirement villages.

Mr Cooney said it was a great location and great site, with a day care centre across the road. He said the complex would not be a square commercial box but would have a bit of architectural merit. "It will have a theme and a look and feel to it."

Coast Papamoa Beach Shopping Centre
- Development costs $8m to $10m depending on layout
- Land area about 4500sq m
- Building area 1500sq m