Demolition site in Whangarei's CBD could become carpark

The Auckland developer owners of the site between John St and James St are considering a pay and display carpark. Photo / John Stone

Whangarei's central city parking woes are set for a boost with the owners of a central site under demolition investigating turning the site into a temporary pay and display carpark.

The site, which is framed by James, John and Dent Streets and extends part way to Robert St, is owned by Auckland developers Neil Properties, the commercial development arm of The Neil Group.

The buildings on the site are at various stages of demolition. Diggers can be seen hard at work and piles of wood and concrete rubble are scattered around the site.

Neil Properties' commercial manager, James Rigg, said the demolition was due to be completed at the end of this month.

"We do not have any immediate development plans," Rigg said of the site.

However, he said, the company is investigating turning it into a temporary pay and display carpark.

In August last year the two businesses who were left in the block, John St Automotive and James St Laundromat, were given notices to be out of their buildings by the end of October last year.

That sparked rumours a long-held plan to build a hotel on the site was back, but Neil Group chief executive Phil Ainsworth poured cold water on the rumours.

Mr Ainsworth said there were no firm plans for the site and the company was looking to clear the old buildings from the site as the maintenance of the building was "no longer economic to justify their retention".

The old Ballance fertiliser storage site on Port Rd has been stripped back to weathered framing timber. Photo / John Stone

Meanwhile, demolition of the former Ballance fertiliser storage site on Port Rd is also nearing completion.

The site is owned by the Whangarei District Council and work to clear the site, which contained a lot of asbestos, started in late January. A class A asbestos removal contractor has been carrying out the $700,000 job.

Council commercial portfolio manager Mike Hibbert said the demolition should be finished in the next two to three weeks.

Following demolition, an environmental site assessment will investigate soil and groundwater conditions beneath the site and identify whether any remediation works are required.

The council is planning to redevelop the site but is yet to decide what the development will be.