26.6.2018
Quiet rural town set to nearly double in size as residential development block goes up for sale
This substantial piece of urban farm land planned to nearly double the housing capacity of Clevedon just south of
Auckland - and simultaneously create a new wetland flora and fauna park for the region - has been placed in the market
for sale.
A large swathe of urban farm land planned to substantially increase the housing capacity of Clevedon just south of
Auckland - and simultaneously create a new wetland flora and fauna park for the region - has been placed in the market
for sale.
The 20.33-hectare block of land is situated immediately behind existing houses and commercial premises fronting onto the
township’s main street, North Road, and is capable of sustaining at least 150 new dwellings on generous section sizes.
The land is part of Auckland Council’s 847-hectare Clevedon Precinct Plan – a masterplan for the town’s residential and
commercial expansion. An initial concept plan for the greenfield site shows up to 150 north-facing homes being built –
with many overlooking what will be a floodplain environmental wetland area.
New streets leading into the subdivision will run off both North Road and Clevedon Kawakawa Road. The land is currently
zoned Residential and Country Living under the now-operative Auckland Council Unitary Plan. In addition to the current
existing building sites, an application is being prepared to be lodged with Auckland Council, seeking permission for
earthworks to create a bigger building platform.
A spatial growth report compiled by Infrastructure NZ and released at the end of last year, titled Meeting Auckland’s
Growth Challenge: The Innovation City, identified Clevedon as one of five highly-preferred growth nodes for Auckland’s
rapidly-growing population – alongside fellow south Auckland locations of Karaka and Paerata, Kumeu to the west and
Dairy Flat/Silverdale to the north.
Now the block of flat-gently undulating land at 17 and 49 Clevedon Kawakawa Road is being marketed for sale by tender
through Bayleys Real Estate, with tenders closing at noon on July 5.
The enclave is named Glencairn, after a parish just north of the city of Dumfries in Scotland. Bayleys salespeople Peter
Sullivan, John Algie and Kristina Liu said that under the existing council zoning, some seven hectares of the Glencairn
land has been designated to sustain a minimum 120-home residential development.
The pending council earthworks consent, when approved, would allow for an additional 30 homes at the very least to be
added to the suburb’s inventory, said Mr Algie.
“The balance of the property is bordered at its lower level by the Wairoa River and is zoned Country Living with a flood
plain overlay, which allows for the area to be developed into a wetland reserve receiving storm water from the
surrounding catchment,” he said.
“The resulting sections on the upper level will therefore not only have calming countryside vistas over a new
eco’-friendly plant and wildlife zone, but will also be immediately adjacent to the town’s retail and social amenities.
“It is intended that the resulting wetland eco’ zone will be totally accessible to the public through a network of
walking tracks and potentially even wooden promenade pathways through some parts of the swampland.”
Mr Sullivan said Clevedon was growing rapidly as one of South Auckland’s satellite settlements – supported by a major
upgrade of the town’s utility services for up to 810 homes long-term when all potential greenfield sites were sold off
and subdivided from farms into residential sections.
“Several years ago, a group of major landowners within the Clevedon Precinct Plan area – including those behind the
Glencairn block being marketed for sale – recognised that providing water and wastewater services to the area was a low
priority for Watercare,” Mr Sullivan said.
“As a result, they decided on a pro-active solution to make the project viable and to be brought forward. The landowners
subsequently formed Clevedon Infrastructure Services Ltd, and last year the company signed a works contract with
Watercare to have services installed throughout the Clevedon Precinct Plan area by 2020.
“Included in the Glencairn land being marketed is a commitment that any new owner will take on Glencairn’s shares in
CSIL and financial obligations agreed to in the contract with Watercare, and thus be entitled to 150 connections.”
Ms Liu said a heritage-listed residence on the property is to be kept on-site and refurbished. Whether it remained as a
residential dwelling or was converted into a café, high-end accommodation lodge, or community venue was yet to be
decided.
Ms Liu said that other large blocks of land within the Clevedon Precinct Plan – but not currently on the market for sale
– could ultimately see the town’s commercial centre emanating outward, including the potential for construction of a
boutique retirement village.
“As Clevedon’s population continues to grow, some of the existing commercial building stock along the North Road spine
will also be prime for refurbishment and modernisation – in some ways reflecting the new housing stock which will be
built on the Glencairn residential enclave,” she said.
ends