Napier: New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre

Artist impression of the new Taradale Four Square facing Lee Rd. Photo / NCC

A new Four Square supermarket and some new retail buildings are being planned for Taradale town centre.

The existing Taradale Four Square will be knocked down and rebuilt a couple of metres from its current location under the plans.

Taradale Four Square is part of a multi-unit commercial building at 220-230 Gloucester St.

JH McDonald Properties owns that property and wants to redevelop the site in stages.

The plans include making room for four new buildings.

The new retail area being proposed looking from Gloucester St. Photo / NCC

One of the new buildings will be a Four Square supermarket and the other three will cater for retail and commercial use.

“The proposal to redevelop the site represents a significant investment in the economy, retail offering and amenity of Taradale’s town centre,” the resource consent application says.

There will be space for outdoor seating areas and artist impressions suggest an eatery could open on site.

Fifty-nine car parks will be kept across the site, albeit with a new layout.

Two adjoining buildings currently tenanted by a gym and a funeral parlour will not be impacted or demolished.

The existing layout of the site. Photo / NCC

The proposed new layout for the site. Photo / NCC

The resource consent application was lodged at the end of 2024.

It is still being considered by Napier City Council, which is yet to return its consent decision.

The application explained the current layout of the property had “little to no interface” with Gloucester St.

“[The project will provide] activation to the street through a combination of shop fronts, outdoor seating areas, verandah provision, and extensive hard and soft landscaping to encourage pedestrian movement through the site.”

JH McDonald Properties is owned by the Beaton family.

A company representative preferred not to comment until the council had made its decision.

Four Square is owned by Foodstuffs. Foodstuffs also declined to comment on the plans, given the application is being brought by the landowner.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.