Located on the outskirts of Whitianga, a substantial 15.9-hectare block is being subdivided into 42 lots – ranging in size from 1,000-square metres up to 9,775-square metres.

The current flat greenfield land sits adjacent to Whitianga’s existing urban limit – having a minimal impact on the closest residential dwellings to the inland location some distance away.

Titles for the 42 lots are expected to be issued in early 2025 – giving purchasers who get in early ample time to apply for relevant council consents. A roading network running through the middle of the block will be built during the intervening period.

Lots within the new industrial hub being built at 142 Moewai Road are being marketed for sale by negotiation through Bayleys Whitianga. Salesperson Josh Smith said industrial lots in Whitianga were always in high demand due to their scarcity, and as a result he expected sites within the burgeoning hub to be snapped up quickly.

“Early bird purchasers will benefit from having the pick of any of the lots. We are confident a sizeable portion of lots will be snapped up before the end of the year,” said Smith.

“The variety of lot sizes have been specifically designed to offer a wide variety of building options to be undertaken – from small workshops and ‘tradie’ premises right up to larger manufacturing plants and small warehousing units.

“For purchasers looking for even bigger lots, there is of course the option to purchase neighbouring sites for a combined larger footprint. Again, purchasers getting in early will have the option to chose not only the best locations, but also any configurations sustaining bigger lots.

“Development of the Moewai Road block will appeal to owner-occupiers already in the town’s smaller industrial properties closer to Whitianga’s central business district, as well as attracting investors from outside of the area interested in taking a long-term view of the site, similar to how the town’s Whitianga Waterways residential precinct had evolved over several decades,” he said.

“Scaled residential expansion of Whitianga is already underway in other parts of the urban boundary where former farmland has been rezoned for new residential enclave – such as land along State Highway 25s. This land at 142 Moewai Road dovetails along with that growth to deliver the necessary service infrastructure required to sustain a prosperous regional economy.

“Growth of this industrial nature is now commonplace among many small towns in the surrounding provinces – such as Thames/Kopu, Morrinsville, Matamata, Tauriko on the outskirts of Tauranga, and Te Rapa just north of Hamilton.

“With the creation of big-box retail hubs and ‘tradie’ concentrations, greenfield land such as Moewai Road is the preferred development option as it provides the space and scale required to build industrial zoned destinations efficiently, cost-effectively, and cohesively.”

Smith said that with such a multitude of lots on offer, the Moewai Road industrial precinct could become a specialist destination for mechanical servicing and engineering focused tenancies.

“The locale could encompass the likes of an automotive services hub or units for builders and construction trades-based companies seeking premises sized around 350-square metres,” he said.

“Or we could see the emergence of a marine services hub which could feature workspaces to service the multitude of boats and leisure marine craft based out of Whitianga.”

Thames Coromandel District Council’s 2021-2031 Long Term Plan recognises that some towns within its jurisdiction, including Whitianga, are “currently experiencing growth pressures.”

“In terms of population growth to 2029, Mercury Bay ward (which includes Whitianga) is projected to experience the greatest growth in population,” the council report notes.

“The council recognises that growth and development are ongoing in the district and will continue over the period of the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan. The council is keen to encourage new growth and development by addressing any infrastructure and zoning barriers that currently exist.”

Smith said the 42 lots within the Moewai Road location amply met these development criteria.

“Being well inland from Whitianga’s ‘jewel in the crown’ beach, and the town’s central business district, scaled development of the Moewai Road precinct would have minimal impact to the town’s existing aesthetics, and in fact could even enhance land use in town by giving industrial operators a newer and more appropriate destination in which to relocate to,” he said.

Click here for more information on the listing.