Beachfront site yours for $1? Well-known coastal Hawke’s Bay section going to auction

A slice of coastal paradise could be yours for $1, but there are a couple of catches. Photo / Bayleys Real Estate

Picture this. You and your friends are the proud new owners of a 736 square metre beachfront section on Hawke’s Bay’s glorious coastline, with unparalleled views of Cape Kidnappers and Haumoana Beach.

It turns out you might only have to pay a dollar for that privilege at 7 Clifton Rd.

Bayleys is taking the site to auction on February 9 with a starting reserve price of just $1, and it won’t be sold prior.

There’s a slight catch - roughly half the property has already been reclaimed by the sea - but for those who have a taste for the crashing waves and coastal views, the owner says the possibilities are endless.

The seafront half of the land is now part of the sea, but a concrete wall contains a near-flat site at the rear.

Because it is classified in the region’s Coastal Hazard Zone, it also comes with a building restriction, so permanent structures and houses are likely out of the question.

It has an old septic tank, as well as power and water just right to the boundary.

The Hastings District Council website classes the site as a “Residential-Vacant” site.

The website also lists the land value as $115,000 as of July 1, 2023. Council rates for the 01/07/2023–30/06/2024 rating year were levied at $1207.62, and regional council rates had a current instalment of $282.02.

Fiona Mackenzie, of Bayleys Hawke’s Bay’s residential and lifestyle sales, said it was up to the purchaser to decide how to move forward when they acquired the site.

“It’s a freehold title. We’re going to be selling it without any warranties or guarantees,” she said.

“Really, it’s up to the purchaser to decide what to do with it.”

The site, which used to house a storm-wrecked house, was previously earmarked for a restaurant, along with other nearby sections.

Owner of the sections and architect Andy Coltart said he was now ready to let someone else make 7 Clifton Rd their own.

“I’m very sad to be exiting because I had plans to do stuff, but sometimes you just have to say that it will probably be too hard.

“But in saying that, it’s gorgeous out there, and I’d love someone to buy the section who would love it.”

He suspects a group of friends could jump at the opportunity and use it as a space to call their own.

“[The coastline] is just heroic. We have more coastline than the USA, but we don’t do anything on it. We have so much it would be wonderful if we had a few things on the coast people could enjoy.”

A Hastings District Council spokesperson said there were some potential restrictions on what could be done with it, including putting a caravan on it.

“The site is within a tsunami inundation area which imposes restrictions on activities additional to those that apply under the Haumoana-Te Awanga residential zone.

“Whether an activity would require resource consent would depend on factors such as how long the caravan was occupied, whether it was rented out and whether the caravan was there permanently or intermittently.”

Mackenzie noted the site was just across the road from popular Haumoana hotspots like the Brown Dog Espresso, the Haumoana Four Square, a busy fish and chip shop, and the iconic Gannets Bar.

“You can go and have picnics and fish and chips across the road. For a dollar, it’s not a bad site to have.”

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.