Property Investors Set To Load Up As Former Wheelbarrow Manufacturing Plant Goes Up For Sale

One of the largest industrial premises in the Coromandel – and the former home to New Zealand’s premier wheelbarrow maker – has been placed on the market for sale.

The substantial factory complex, warehousing and adjoining offices at 202 Grey Street in Thames were previously the headquarters of engineering and manufacturing firm Campbell Tube Products – New Zealand’s foremost wheelbarrow makers.

Campbell Tube Products moved its operations to Hamilton at the end of last year. Now the 3,060-square metre freehold site at 202 Grey Street in Thames and the 2,561-square metre building are being marketed for sale by negotiation through Bayleys Hamilton. Salespeople Josh Smith and Daniel Keane said the Grey Street location was zoned Industrial 7B under the Thames Coromandel District Council plan.

Situated on the corner of Grey Street and Pollen Street – Thames’ main retail strip – the property is on the fringe of the town’s central business district, and combines four individual land titles into one square-shaped block.

Smith said there were multiple future options for the site – ranging from an owner-occupier relocating to the address or establishing a covered self-storage unit business, through to redevelopment potential by reconfiguring the complex into smaller shared tenancies, or creating a new hub of small, terrace format warehouse units.

“With limited industrial zoned development space available in Thames’ CBD, 202 Grey Street offers a rare opportunity for future use,” Smith said.

“With two separate entrances from Pollen Street, two separate entrances from Grey Street, and roller door access from a central courtyard into the substantial warehousing portion of the building, there are multiple options for reconfiguring and repurposing the complex for a single tenancy or multiple smaller tenancies.

“The layout of the building encompasses an open-plan area to the front, with multiple bays separated by steel and timber support beams providing clearly defined areas.

“This configuration would allow for several tenants to operate simultaneously at the rear of the premises – with staff sharing facilities including bathrooms, lockers, first aid rooms and offices.”

Smith said the two entrances off Grey Street led to the plant’s workshop and warehousing zones. Featuring a large sliding door allowing easy access for inward and outward goods. Smith also said the workshop’s floor plate replicated the rest of the building - with steel and timber support beams and trusses sustaining an open-plan factory and warehouse space.

“Surrounded by the vast warehousing but separated on three sides, is the office building fronting onto Grey Street with a brick and timber façade,” Smith said.

“Upon entering the front door, there are offices to the right and an office with reception window to the left. Past the window down a short hallway to the left are further offices providing ample space for staff,” he said.

“To the rear of the building is a large open-plan area which could be utilised as supplementary offices, storage or as a workshop. A gated driveway to the right of the office building leads to the central yard providing access to most of the bordering buildings.

“The significant bones of the manufacturing and warehousing complex provide a solid platform for potential reconfiguration.

“Alternatively, the building could be demolished and replaced with a terraced-style warehousing hub which could accommodate up to 10 individual units, subject to council consents being granted. Again, these would benefit from have access off either Grey Street or Pollen Street.”

Keane said developing the complex into a covered and caged-style self-storage facility was another option for 202 Grey street – with some five percent of New Zealanders now paying for off-site storage space.

“Space could be apportioned to either accommodate the likes of personal belongings or tradie supplies for plumbers, builders and electricians, through to vehicular storage such as caravans, jet-skis, boats, or hobby cars,” Keane said.

“As Thames’ population continues to grow, so too does the demand on infrastructural services such as self-storage facilities,” he said.

The Grey Street/Pollen Street corner site is located within Thames’ automotive supplies hub – surrounded by the likes of Cooper Tyres, Repco and Novus Autoglass.

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