Tauranga building boom: $750m in consents approved in 2020

One of the biggest projects in Tauranga has been the much-anticipated $200m Farmers Tauranga development. Image / Supplied

A whopping $750 million worth of building consents for the city were approved in 2020, including a luxury apartment, the iconic Farmers build, a new school and a multimillion-dollar business expansion.

The multimillion-dollar figure was made up of consents approved from January to November. December's figures are yet to be released.

One of the biggest projects in Tauranga has been the much-anticipated $200m Farmers Tauranga development.

Tauranga City Council's building consents reports for 2020 showed there were three large consents above $1m approved for the project.

One of the biggest projects in Tauranga has been the much-anticipated $200m Farmers Tauranga development. Image / Supplied

That included $10m for the structure to the apartment towers, another $10m for the facade to the apartment towers, and $22m for the base build interior fit-out and services to retail tenancies.

Thirty Eight Elizabeth was announced as the new branding for the multimillion-dollar development in November.

The Farmers flagship store, including a retail and dining precinct plus 97 luxury apartments and 23 sky townhouses, will be known as Elizabeth Towers.

The project will also include a sky garden, which will feature communal garden terraces, a state-of-the-art pool, spa, gym and entertainment areas.

Downtown Tauranga chairman Brian Berry said the city was now really starting to see the true scale of the project.

"The development's completion will visually encapsulate the southern end of the city centre, and with other developments occurring to the northern end of The Strand.

"The just-completed upgrade of Wharf St is starting to provide a long-needed sense of destination for the wider community."

Berry said the incorporation of apartments and townhouses in the Elizabeth Towers, and further apartment development either under way or mooted, recognised the need for more inner-city dwellers.

It also sat well with the plan for the residential intensification of the Te Papa peninsula to accommodate the projected population growth of the city, he said.

"The retail brands that the Farmers Development (James Pascoe Group) will bring back into the city centre – Farmers, Pascoes and Whitcoulls, plus a hospitality precinct and 160 public car parks, will definitely assist with the retail and hospitality offering in the city centre."

An artist's impression of the new six-storey, mixed-use Vantage development. Photo / Supplied

Another major consent this year was the $18m approved for stage two of the 32-luxury apartment Vantage development, including the fit-out of all levels.

Demolition has begun on existing buildings at 359 Cameron Rd to make way for a new six-storey, mixed-use apartment building.

Lead sales agent for the Vantage development, Theo Smith of Harcourts, said sales were still going strong.

"The numbers are definitely picking up on sales. We're passed the 50 per cent mark now and a big part of the office space is leased out. It's all very positive.

"To have such a quality development on the corner that has a restaurant and cafe as well is going to be fantastic."

Longstanding Mount Maunganui trucking company Intertruck Distributors (NZ) Limited was investing $9m into expanding its operations to the Tauriko Business Estate. Photo / Supplied

In November, $8m was approved for Intertruck's new industrial building and associated site works at 40 Kaweroa Dr.

Longstanding Mount Maunganui trucking company Intertruck Distributors (NZ) Limited was investing $9m into expanding its operations to the Tauriko Business Estate after experiencing a busy year.

News of Intertruck's expansion plans coincided with a significant milestone being reached in another major project at the business estate - the blessing of the site where Winstone Wallboards' $400m plasterboard manufacturing and distribution facility will be built.

Ray White Commercial managing director Philip Hunt said Tauriko had defied everyone's predictions post-Covid-19 lockdown.

Hunt, a Tauriko commercial and industrial specialist, said he knew of about a dozen developments worth millions of dollars planned for 2021.

"The demand out there is exciting, huge and far from being satisfied."

Shane Cunliffe has been appointed principal of a new school, Te Okuroa Drive School in Pāpāmoa. He is pictured at the construction site. Photo / George Novak

In August, $13m was approved for the construction of the new Te Okuroa Drive School.

The first stage of the build will include three teaching blocks and an administration/hall block at 72 Okuroa Dr, as well as external landscaping and outside sports facilities and car parking.

The school's new principal, Shane Cunliffe, said he was "super excited" about the development of the Te Okuroa Dr infrastructure, which will be complete for the ākonga [students] to start in 2022.

"It will be a responsive learning environment that will be able to adapt to the needs of the tamariki, whānau and community, while providing a world-class environment for our kaiako [teachers] to also harness their strengths.

"It will be fantastic to get ākonga, whānau and community voice to contribute to the development alongside staff starting later in 2021."

In February, $9.7m was also approved for the construction of a four-storey student accommodation building and separate managers accommodation at 38 Selwyn St. Photo / Supplied

In February, $9.7m was also approved for the construction of a four-storey student accommodation building and separate managers accommodation at 38 Selwyn St.