The largest consolidated landholding in Matakana Village has been placed on the market for the first time in 96 years, attracting keen interest from investors, owner-occupiers and potential developers.
Expressions of interest are being sought for the more than 100 hectares of rural-zoned land at 254 Matakana Valley Road, beside the urban boundary of the fast-growing North Auckland township.
Located about a kilometre from the centre of the popular visitor and lifestyle village of Matakana, the property benefits from a mixture of flat, rolling land and elevated views of the surrounding coastline at its highest points.
Expressions of interest in the freehold land and buildings at 254 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana, are being invited by 4pm on Wednesday 5 May (unless the property is sold earlier), through Bayleys in the North Commercial and Industrial.
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Salespeople Chris Blair and Henry Napier said the site of approximately 101 hectares across two titles consisted of established farmland with a large house plus farm buildings, along with some 13 hectares of native bush.
Mr Blair said while the farm and residence is returning a modest holding income of $32,680 pa, the property presents a litany of opportunities ranging from lifestyle options to long-term development prospects.
“This property will also attract interest from owner-occupiers, including those keen to harness its potential for a new luxury residence or as a lifestyle block. The attraction of living on the site is heightened by its picturesque rural setting, privacy and sweeping views along the valley from the elevated eastern portion,” said Mr Blair.
“The property’s location beside the urban boundary of burgeoning Matakana could also position new owners well for longer-term residential development possibilities as the town expands – though this would be dependent on a plan change.”
The Matakana Valley Road site is currently zoned Rural – Rural Production under the Auckland Unitary Plan.
Mr Blair said developers have begun to realise the opportunity presented by new infrastructure such as the Puhoi-to-Warkworth motorway extension and the Matakana Link Road, which would connect Matakana Road with State Highway 1.
“Due for completion in 2022, these projects will remove local traffic bottlenecks and greatly improve connections with Auckland city – less than an hour’s drive to the south in normal traffic conditions,” Mr Blair said.
Matakana itself is demanding alleviation from traffic congestion due to the growth in population seen in recent years. Mr Blair said there had been a noticeable increase in Aucklanders looking to relocate to the area since last year’s Level 4 lockdown.
“Matakana has been popular with Auckland residents relocating due to its lifestyle benefits. This trend has continued to rise since the first lockdown in 2020.
“Locally, the Matakana area benefits from a robust set of amenities, including the Matakana village and markets, a Four Square supermarket and a range of boutique retail outlets, restaurants, cafes and bars. Families in the area are also served educationally by the well-regarded Matakana Primary School,” Mr Blair said.
Mr Napier said an extensive network of internal access roads facilitated easy movement across the Matakana Valley Road site, while the property’s development potential was underpinned by additional access via a paper road.
Mr Napier said a key market factor that would benefit new owners of the property was the area’s projected future growth.
“The wider area has been targeted by Auckland Council planners as a major growth hub. This is expected to see the population of Warkworth, about 10 kilometres from the site for sale, explode from around 5,600 in 2018 to 25,000 by 2030 as it is developed as a key Auckland satellite town.”
