Hastings: Plans For $2.5m Inner-City Development For Vibrant Living

Wednesday, 14 May 2025, 7:46 pm
Article: Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter

More inner-city living is on the cards for Hastings with a Queen St West site earmarked for a $2.5 million development.

The Hastings District Council-owned site has been partially sold to Mike Walker Management (MWM) and plans include city housing, commercial spaces and a public car park.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the project brings the community’s vision for a more vibrant, connected city centre one step closer.

“It’s also a positive step towards delivering on our commitment to enable more inner city living, supported by a variation to the proposed district plan in 2019 to allow residential activity in the upper floors of city centre buildings,” Hazlehurst said.

MWM director Mike Walker said the development of the former Farmers’ Co-operative garage building was a unique opportunity to blend heritage and modern living in a way that brings long-term value to the community.

“Hastings has a strong identity and rich history, and we’re proud to be part of a project that reflects that,” he said.

“Our approach is to retain and celebrate what’s already here while delivering spaces where people want to live, work and connect. We believe this redevelopment will be a catalyst for even more investment and vibrancy in the city centre.”

Plans include strengthening and reusing the facade of the Farmers’ Co-operative heritage building, terraced townhouses, new commercial tenancies and office space, and a public park and laneway connecting Queen St West to Heretaunga St West.

The project follows a four-year search by the council for the right development partner.

Demolition of the existing buildings is scheduled to begin in August 2025.

Stage one will focus on delivering a new public green space, and pedestrian laneways, and strengthening the heritage facade.

The next stage will see the development of commercial accommodation and then townhouses potentially beginning to be built as early as 2026.

An application is under way to amend the existing resource consent, originally granted in May 2023 for a three-storey, mixed-use development comprising 20 apartments. The revised consent will allow for the development of terraced townhouses.

The council will retain ownership of the public park and laneways while divesting the land for commercial and residential use at market value.

It says the net cost of the project remains within the budget allocated in the Long-Term Plan 2024-34.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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