Hastings shopping centre's big boost

Hastings' new large format retail centre, The Park, is welcoming its newest retailer, Fishing Camping Outdoors, to Hawke's Bay.

The Karamu Rd centre has had a busy first three months, with The Warehouse and Mitre 10 Mega opening their doors, and the centre is on schedule for FCO to open its first shop in the Hawke's Bay area next month.

Head of development services Chris Chapple, of Australian developers Charter Hall, has hailed the development a success.

"With two high profile retailers already up and running and over 700 off street car parks, The Park is a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience for the local community," he said. "We are very excited about another great retailer opening at The Park and importantly that they will be offering products previously not available in Hastings."

The FCO's store is 1400sq m. A neighbouring 1000sq m store and cafe space is for lease, with "solid interest" shown by potential lessees.

"As the profile of the centre rises, so does the interest from other retailers," Mr Chapple said.

He said the 1000sq m minimum store size imposed on the development had proved a barrier for potential tenants.

Charter Hall lodged a resource consent application requesting the floor area of the development be reduced to between 500 and 670sq m.

In January it decided to put the application on hold while it looked at other options.

Mr Chapple said it was important for both Charter Hall and Hastings as a city to have successful and fully tenanted retail precincts.

Charter Hall Group, listed on the Australian stock exchange, is one of Australia's leading fully integrated property groups, with 20 years' experience managing property.

It has more than $10 billion of funds under management across the office, retail, industrial and residential sectors.