Sites in demand, builds under way at Commerce Place

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A business park purchased by the regional economic development agency is approaching full capacity.

Commerce Place business park, owned by Trust Tairawhiti, now has over 75 percent of the lots either sold or leased to Tairawhiti businesses.

The land was originally purchased by Trust Tairawhiti (then Eastland Community Trust) in 2014 to support regional economic growth, by offering office space and land to future tenants or owners for business expansion.

Construction is well under way for a new base for ProTraffic, with all concrete areas poured, and the outer shell and internal framing erected. ProTraffic bought the site in 2020.

White Pointer Boats has also started construction of an expanded boat manufacturing facility.

Most of the surrounding lots are under contract and awaiting title issue following subdivision or revised covenants. About 23 percent of the land is leased by Rua Bioscience.

Trust Tairawhiti economic development general manager Richard Searle said it was “great” to see the original vision for Commerce Place come to life.

“We always wanted this development to contribute to the expansion of the regional economy through the promotion of growth industries and the creation of jobs.”

Commerce Place is the trust's $1.6 million investment on Awapuni Road.

It was purchased in November 2014 from the receivers of Gary McNabb, with the aim of supporting economic growth in Gisborne.