A large, high-profile development site just north of the Christchurch central city, formerly home to the All Seasons Hotel and with resource consent in place for a new hotel, is for sale via CBRE.
The 7,307sqm residential-zoned site at 60-72 Papanui Road and 51 Onslow Street, Merivale, is being marketed by CBRE brokers Tim Rookes, Cameron Darby and Warren Hutt. It is for sale by deadline private treaty closing on Thursday June 3 at 4pm.
Located between Merivale and the Christchurch central business district on Papanui Road, one of Christchurch’s best-known arterial routes, the site’s scale and proximity to a large range of amenities make it ideal for accommodation or residential development, says Rookes.
“The site is strategically positioned close to multiple amenities including the Christchurch CBD, Merivale shops, Hagley Park, private hospitals and high quality schools. It is likely to be considered a highly compelling opportunity for an accommodation or housing development, given the shortage of large-scale development sites with favourable zoning remaining in central Christchurch.”
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A major new hotel development for the site was proposed in 2018, with resource consent granted for a 154-room, low-rise hotel with a pool and hospitality spaces. With consent still current, the buyer could opt to continue with those plans or alternatively plan a large-scale residential development, Darby says.
The site, which is located directly opposite St Margaret’s College and visible to over 16,000 passing vehicles daily, is within walking distance of the Victoria Street office and hospitality precinct in the Christchurch CBD, as well as the boutique shopping and dining of Merivale.
It is zoned for several sought-after schools including Christchurch Boys’ High School, Christchurch Girls’ High School, Heaton Intermediate and Elmwood Normal School.
Surrounded by established medium-density housing and accommodation developments, the amenity value of the area can not be overstated, says Rookes.
“Within walking distance of the site are shops, medical services, schools and a multitude of restaurants, cafés and bars, as well as the open green space of Hagley Park and the ?t?karo/Avon River precinct, providing recreational opportunities. When it comes to potential residential development opportunities, it’s difficult to find fault with this fantastic site,” he says.
“Given the current high demand in the housing market and the site’s location just five minutes from the central business district and with highly sought-after school zoning, we’re expecting this site to appeal to residential developers who are searching for opportunities in a supply-starved market.”
The site is flexibly configured for residential development, with multiple street access points from both Papanui Road and Onslow Street.
Along with accommodation or residential development, the site’s Residential Medium Density zoning, with accommodation and community facilities overlays, means it could also be suitable for other uses including student accommodation, education, healthcare, community facilities, retirement villages and more, Darby says.
“This high profile site benefits from a large street frontage to the main arterial route of Papanui Road and also offers excellent access to public transport and amenities, making it suitable for an extremely wide range of possible end uses.”
The former All Seasons Hotel, previously the Autolodge, was something of an icon on Papanui Road and dated back to the 1970s. Apart from two houses on the Onslow Street side, the site is now cleared and vacant following the demolition of the earthquake-damaged hotel building in late 2018.
