Sizeable town-fringe industrial development block with residential potential placed on the market for sale
A substantial landholding which delineates the residential component of Whakatane in the Eastern Bay of Plenty from the
town’s industrial and ‘big box’ retail precincts, has been placed on the market for sale.
The 7.44-hectare landholding at 23 and 45 Keepa Road is immediately adjacent to State Highway 30 leading in to and out
of Whakatane and is zoned for light industrial use under the Whakatane District Council plan.
However, there is the potential the land could be used for residential development, a retirement village or Whakatane’s
first Kiwi Build project. An plan change to rezone the land residential has been progressed to a pre-hearing stage.
The substantial paddock block – which encompasses two titles - is now being marketed for sale as one entity at auction
on 1pm on December 12 through Bayleys Tauranga. Salespeople Larissa Reid and Rhys Mischefski said utility services were
available on the perimeter of the property.
“Located to the north-west of Whakatane town centre, the Keepa Road block is bordered by properties on all sides
sustaining a variety of uses – from pastoral grazing and cropping activity through to retail and light industrial
tenancies,” Ms Reid said.
“The corner-site location will benefit future retail tenancies through its high exposure to traffic using State Highway
30, while also providing instant access to the town’s main arterial route.
“Directly across the road on the State Highway 30 frontage is The Hub Whakatane ‘big box’ retail shopping centre –
containing large footprint tenancies such as Harvey Norman, Farmers, Rebel Sports, Briscoes, Bunnings, and Kmart.
“Behind the Keepa Road bare block are a range of industrial tenancies sustaining the town’s automotive sector, along
with the Whakatane branch of national building supplies firm ITM,” Ms Reid added.
“Meanwhile on the Keepa Road eastern frontage, a large strip of land adjacent to the Whakatane River is zoned for rural
purposes and is currently used for stock grazing. The land contains a large stormwater pumping station and water holding
area which have been constructed specifically to manage stormwater from the site being marketed.
Keepa Road is the main access route into the suburbs of Piripai and Coastlands. An alternative commercial development
masterplan for these plots could see the creation of a terraced-style neighbourhood retail centre sustaining the likes
of a boutique fruit and vegetable mini-mart, hair salon, bakery, convenience store diary, and fast-food premises.”
Mr Mischefski said there was also the potential that the site, subject of an almost completed plan change, could be used
to for a residential subdivision or retirement village.
Alternatively residential zoning, the greenfield land would be amply suitable for establishing Whakatane’s first Kiwi
Build enclave.
“Whakatane’s urban belt is stretching ever further away from the town’s central business district – as seen with the
creation of The Hub Whakatane. Concurrently, there is also demand for more affordable housing – so we are expecting
interest from two substantially different buyer markets for the Keepa Road sites.
“Some 1.5 kilometres to the west of Keepa Road is the Shaw Road/Huna Road suburban housing area which has been rezoned
residential under the district plan and the development of a large portion has just been completed.
“However, this activity clearly indicates that urban growth on the western side of the Whakatane River is where planners
see the town’s long-term residential expansion as the eastern sector reaches capacity.”