Zone into a commercial development opportunity with a plan

The vacant site at 106-110 Hobsonville Rd has a zone change pending. Photo / Supplied

For the first time in two generations, a large tract of former Hobsonville farm land alongside the State Highway 18 motorway realignment that will soon form part of the Auckland western ring route is up for sale with a zone change pending that could allow the land to be developed into an industrial park.

The 19.13ha site at 106-110 Hobsonville Rd is still owned by one of the original rural land holders in the area, the Ockleston family. But the site has not been farmed for some time because the larger farm has been split in two by the motorway development, says Daryl Devereux, of Bayleys North Shore Commercial, who is marketing the property in conjunction with Terry Jones of Bayleys North West office and Stuart Bode of Bayleys Auckland.

The site is up for sale with tenders closing at 4pm on June 24 at Bayleys North Shore Commercial offices in Takapuna.

Devereux says the site is currently zoned Countryside Environment, under Waitakere City Council's Operative District Plan, but is to be rezoned Future Urban Development A, allowing for commercial and industrial development.

This means the greenfield site could be developed as a high quality, covenanted industrial park along the same lines as Highbrook in East Tamaki, or the upmarket North Harbour estate in Albany, says Devereux.

"This is an outstanding opportunity to buy development land within a Government-supported strategic employment growth area with a concept plan already in place."

Devereux says the release of commercial development land in the area provides a much-needed alternative to the North Shore industrial precincts where an acute shortage of industrially zoned land has resulted in elevated land values and a change in land use patterns.

"There is virtually no industrial land left for development on the North Shore and this is a foundation site for the Hobsonville area with huge visibility to passing traffic and located less than 1km from the new motorway's on/off ramp. Roading and infrastructure works could commence this summer.

"It is envisaged that the Hobsonville Corridor will provide employment for 4000 people once fully developed.

"The area's development includes the completion of the State Highway 18 realignment which will become part of the Auckland western ring route connecting Manukau City with Waitakere City and North Shore city, and providing an alternative to the heavily congested State Highway 1.

"When this is completed it will further enhance the already good transport links the property enjoys, and reduce travel times to the port, airport and the major commercial and industrial precincts elsewhere," says Devereux.

"In addition to the council's plans for the Hobsonville corridor, major residential and commercial developments at the nearby Hobsonville airbase have commenced, and the proposed expansion of the Westgate town centre will transform the area into a dynamic and regionally significant commercial hub."