An artist rendering of what the proposed Starbucks and Burger King in Tirau could look like.
A proposed Starbucks and Burger King in Tīrau is polarising the community with some seeing it as a threat and others as an opportunity.
Tahua Properties Limited is seeking a resource consent from the South Waikato District Council for a Starbucks and a Burger King with drive-through facilities. The proposal is causing a commotion in the town, which is known for its quirky corrugated iron architecture, boutique cafes and shops.
Tahua Properties is a New Zealand retail and hospitality investment company that operates Starbucks NZ, Burger King NZ and Popeyes NZ, and in its application, it claims the proposed fast-food restaurants would “revitalise” Tīrau and entice more people to stop.
Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good said he was inclined to agree with this.
“My view is that progress is coming to Tīrau with the completion of Cambridge to Piarere [expressway] ... Burger King and Starbucks would be a part of this progress,” Good said.
He said Tīrau was a “comfortable stopover” on the way to Hamilton, Taupō or Rotorua, and big franchises, such as Burger King and Starbucks, tended to attract people to town.
“I’m hearing people’s concerns, but I think [the proposed development] is as much an opportunity as it is a threat.”
Good said the next question, after the Piarere to Cambridge extension, was if there would be a bypass of State Highway 1 around Tīrau.
He said if the bypass was going to be established, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for the town.
“In Pōkeno, the town possibly blossomed due to the bypass.
“And having Burger King and Starbucks in Tīrau might be a reason for people [to choose] not to bypass [the town].”
Local resident Olivia Cotton said she, too, believed the proposal could be “quite good” for the town – economically.
“I do have concerns about rubbish on SH1 though, but that’s it really. I don’t think it’s going to have the opposite effect, because we have a good reputation with the shops and cafes,” she said.
However, many in the community don’t give the proposal their tick of approval.
Local shop and cafe owners said they fear the proposal would have the opposite effect to what Good and Tahua Properties outlined.
Angela James, owner of gift shop Little Gem, said the majority of people would stop in Tīrau to grab a coffee or to get gas, and then go for a wander around the shops.
Having Starbucks and Burger King move to town would therefore have a negative effect on a lot of local businesses.
“People wouldn’t really have to stop or leave the car anymore. They just go through the drive-through and get going again.”
James said Tīrau had a unique charm and community, which would get lost once the “big guns” moved in.
“Once you lose your cafes and shops, you lose your quirkiness.
“People come because we are different. If they let Starbucks and Burger King in, who else are they going to let in? KFC? McDonald’s?
“I don’t think we need them [in Tīrau].”
Owner of local cafe The Baker, Shane Kearns, echoed James’ sentiments.
“I don’t think they are going to add any value to the town,” Kearns said.
“The majority would not want this ... Times are tough at the moment and this isn’t helping at all.”
The Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant would be located at 69A Main Rd, between Tīrau Primary School and Tīrau Community Church, and across the road from the BP gas station.
It is currently a residential property, which would be demolished to establish the two fast-food restaurants.
Since the property is located within the Tīrau Residential Zone, establishing a Starbucks and Burger King is classified as a discretionary activity within the District Plan. This means Tahua Properties requires a resource consent.
The Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant would operate seven days a week from 5am to 2am.
In its resource consent application, Tahua Properties said this activity would generate 285 vehicle movements during the morning peak and 167 vehicle movements during the evening peak.
The Starbucks and Burger King would be single-storey buildings. Both would have a drive-through facility with a capacity for about 12 vehicles each. There would also be inside dining areas.
The Starbucks dining area would have capacity for about 42 customers.
The internal layout of the Burger King, including the capacity of the dining area, would be confirmed at the building consent stage.
A total of 28 car parking spaces are proposed within the site.
The design of the Starbucks would be an architectural interpretation of a coffee bean. The exterior building materials would comprise a mix of corrugated iron in contrasting brown shades and perforated metal.
The exterior building materials of the Burger King would be a mix of faux cedar and corrugated iron. The western facade of the building would feature an art piece from a local artist.
A two-way vehicle crossing from Main Rd/SH1 and pedestrian access to the site from Main Rd/SH1 would be built with pedestrian footpaths and crossings internal to the site.
A 1.8m closed-board wooden fence along the north, east and southern boundaries would be built to mitigate noise.
Rubbish collection would be via a private contractor.
Apart from the economic impact of the proposed development on the town, residents have raised concerns the town was being commercialised.
Rubbish, traffic and safety, due to the proposed development’s proximity to Tīrau Primary School, were also concerns.
In the application, Tahua Properties stated its agent, SLR Consulting, reached out to New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and met with one of its planners.
“The Waka Kotahi safety and network engineers were not present [at the meeting] due to an unwillingness to engage until such time as a full integrated transport assessment is provided.”
According to the resource consent application, NZTA raised concerns including that the area has numerous entrances with “conflicting” turning movements and congested parking, with heavy vehicles parking where they can fit and regularly blocking entrances.
NZTA also said the proposed development’s proximity to the primary school was a concern as there was a risk of schoolchildren using the pathways to get to and from school.
According to the application, Tahua Properties would be undertaking consultation with Tīrau Primary School.
The Waikato Herald approached the school for comment but didn’t receive a response.
The nearest Starbucks to Tīrau is in Hamilton or Rotorua, while the nearest Burger King to Tīrau is in Tokoroa.
Feedback on the proposal ended at 5pm on July 26.
Tahua Properties didn’t respond to the Waikato Herald’s request for comment.
In its resource consent application and supporting documents, the company said the proposal would not undermine the “established character of development” within Tīrau.
“The design and scale of the development is sensitive to its location within Tīrau, the buildings are ... designed to be ... sympathetic to the overall theme of the town.
“The proposed development will not necessarily detract from the existing commercial premises but will attract those travelling north or south through Tīrau to stop in at the Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant that would not have otherwise stopped.
“The proposal will result in positive effects on the community through providing additional employment opportunities for the community and attracting travellers to stop in Tīrau.
“Although the proposed Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant will compete with existing hospitality businesses, the proposal will facilitate an offer not currently available in Tīrau.”
The company said the development would “revitalise and refresh” the entry to the town centre and create a place for young people.
Tīrau Ward councillor Kerry Purdy declined to comment before a decision has been made on the proposal.
South Waikato mayor Gary Petley said he knew the proposal attracted “mixed opinions” from the community, however, by law the council had to consider the application.
“Council doesn’t have the right to just refuse [it]. We need to follow the process,” Petley said.
In the resource consent application, Tahua Property stated that on December 20, 2023, a “pre-application meeting” was held with the council.
“Council was generally supportive of the proposal and advised no community board consultation was required prior to resource consent lodgement,” the application reads.
Tīrau is a small township in the South Waikato District, located between Cambridge and Tokoroa.
It is a popular stop on the way to or from Taupō, Rotorua and Tauranga, as well as Cambridge, Matamata and Hamilton, as SH1 passes through the town.
Tīrau is best known for its corrugated iron artwork, including the Big Dog, which houses the isite, the Big Sheep and the Big Ram, which houses an SPCA op-shop.
There are about 2330 people living in the wider area, with roughly 800 people living in the town itself.
Businesses include two gas stations, numerous cafes, restaurants, and clothing stores, such as Trelise Cooper Designer Outlet, Bendon Outlet and Kilt, as well as other shops like Notting Hill Interiors, The Interiors Barn and the iconic Clock Shoppe.
Yarrows The Bakers and Fonterra also have operations in the town.
Early Māori spoke of Tīrau as a good place to catch kererū. Tīrau in te reo means “place of many cabbage trees”.
In the 1860s, the first Europeans arrived and in 1881 the Post & Telegraph Office was opened, officially known as Okoroire.
In 1890 the name was changed to Oxford, after the English university town, however, due to confusion with Oxford in Canterbury, the name was changed to Oxford North. In 1895 it was changed again, to Tīrau.
A dairy factory was built in 1938 by the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company.
After a period of deprivation in the 1980s and early 90s, resident Henry Clothier had a vision to revive it. He opened Oxford Court Antiques which attracted lots of visitors and inspired others to also open antique shops.
Today, the town is more known for its cafes rather than antique shops.
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
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