Historic greens in Newmarket tender

The disused Carlton Bowling Club, in the foreground, is the largest site for sale of six prime blocks. Photo / Supplied

The former home of the Carlton Bowling Club for more than 90 years is the largest site on offer among six adjoining blocks of prime residential and commercial development land in one of Auckland's most affluent residential precincts.

The Newmarket properties, which total 1.7ha in area and range from 809sq m to 7866sq m, are being offered for sale by international tender.

Offers are being sought for the entire property holding or for the six individual blocks through Bayleys Real Estate, closing on November 26.

The land, located off Alpers, Gillies and Edgerley Avenues, has been accumulated by the current owner over the past 11 years with the intention of developing it. However, he has now decided to place the property, totalling 17,579sq m, on to the market.

It's not often that an opportunity presents itself to secure such a strategic landholding in the heart of Newmarket, considered to be one of Auckland's most sought-after development areas, says Paul Dixon of Bayleys Auckland.

Dixon heads a Bayleys marketing team for the property, which is featured in Bayleys latest Total Property portfolio, with Mike Woods, also from Bayleys Auckland office, and Lyle Flood of Bayleys North Shore Commercial.

Dixon says the sites could be considered for a terrace housing project, apartments, retirement home, education or medical facility. The property's central Newmarket location means it is just a few minutes' walk from the main Newmarket shopping thoroughfare and railway station and it also has easy access to the motorway.

In line with a desire by local and regional government to encourage more intensive new residential development on central Auckland's city fringe and near transport hubs, such as railway stations, five of the sites have benefited from a zone change to Residential 8C. Their new zoning allows for higher-density development and greater site coverage than the previous 7A zoning, with the allowable building height increased to 17m or a maximum five stories.

While the Residential 8C zoning is designed to encourage intensive residential development, it also allows discretionary activities subject to resource consent. These include educational facilities, care centres, rest homes, retirement villages or housing for the elderly or disabled, healthcare services, offices, hostels and visitor accommodation. The sixth site, encompassing 2675sq m at 11 Edgerley Ave, has a mixed-use zoning so it could also include retail and other commercial components as well as residential.

It is likely any residential development undertaken would meet with keen demand, says Dixon. The area enjoys good resale and is particularly popular with families because it is located within the desirable Auckland Grammar public school zones as well as being close to some of New Zealand's top private schools. There is also easy access to public transport and Auckland's major roading networks."

The area's Grammar school zoning also means there is strong tenancy demand for housing and the property is currently generating holding income of just over $250,000 per annum from the renting of homes, flats and units as well as the leasing of the ex-bowling club site to the Children's Education Trust. This includes the 620sq m former main clubhouse and a smaller 100sq m dwelling.

This large 7866sq m block of land in two titles off Alpers Ave is at the centre of the development opportunity and has changed little since the bowling club closed its doors and greens in 2003 and subsequently amalgamated with Cornwall Park Bowls. Dixon says the level contour and sunny northerly orientation of the former greens and adjoining sealed carpark makes them ideal for a substantial residential redevelopment.

The next biggest site, of 3377sq m at 74A/76 Gillies Avenue, would enable access from this major thoroughfare to the main site. The other four sites off Edgerley Ave would also allow easy access to and from Newmarket's popular Broadway main street, says Dixon.

One of the property's big draw cards is its closeness to central Newmarket, which is widely recognised as home to some of Auckland's best shops, as well as numerous cafes, bars and restaurants.