Whanganui businesses make offers on industrial land in Mill Rd

A second block of manufacturing-zoned land in Whanganui's Mill Rd has been all but gobbled up by local businesses, Bayleys real estate agent Russell Duggan says.

He has secured conditional offers on all but one of its sections during the last four weeks.

"It's a good time for Whanganui and a lot of people have been talking about expansion. Mill Rd is starting to sell out and putting up some nice buildings. It puts a bit of hype to it," Duggan said.

The 12 Rakau Rd plots in a 3.5ha block of land owned by AT Wanganui Ltd all went in two weeks in December 2017, and this year it's been much the same. AT Wanganui's sole director is Rangitīkei man John Turkington.

AT Wanganui's stage 2 development is 5ha, in 15 lots. The land has a fixed price of $75 per square metre and all but one section had an offer put on it this month.

"It's funny. It sort of sits there and then all of a sudden you just get a run," Duggan said.

The sections were 2000 to 8000 square metres, but a couple of bigger lots that take in several titles are under offer.

"I can't say who made the offers, but the bulk of them are local people looking to secure space for their business in the future, and one that's put in an offer is talking about a massive building."

AT Wanganui will now have to subdivide the land. People who made the offers have 20 to 40 days to do due diligence, assess the cost of building and make sure the land is suitable for their needs.

The Rakau Rd land in stage 1 is now occupied by Parkwood Doors, Castlecliff Health, CP Wool, Country Bikes and others.

The land is suitable for light manufacturing and warehousing - and not for wet industries, Duggan said.

It's in the Mill Road Industrial Zone of 120ha. The land is all privately owned, except for one Whanganui District Council block.

The council has been putting in infrastructure for the people who will eventually use it, with developers to pay those costs proportionally as the land is sold.

A stormwater system with pipes as large as 1.6m is being installed under both Mill and Mosston roads.

There will also be a water main run from Mill Rd to Clarkson Ave, via Mosston Rd. It's expected to be finished by May, a council spokesperson said.

Mill Rd connects to Manuka St and forms a handy direct route from Mosston Rd to Castlecliff. The short stretch between the Rakau Rd intersection and Manuka St will be closed from January 8 to April 3, while pipes are installed and the road is rebuilt and sealed.

Manuka St and Mill Rd will stay open during that time.