A rich lister who lives in a multi-million-dollar beachfront home in one of New Zealand’s most desirable suburbs has expanded his real estate footprint after purchasing his neighbours' homes for a total of $16.75 million.
Tech entrepreneur Guy Haddleton bought the house next door to his own at the southern end of Takapuna beach in December last year for $11.75 million - $2.75 million above the 2017 CV. Records show he bought the property immediately behind in April for $5 million - $1.4 million above CV.
Both deals were off-market.
Haddleton and his wife Sue made their fortune overseas with tech start-ups. They bought their own house in Takapuna in 2003. It now has a CV of $9.7 million.
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Haddleton declined to comment on the purchases, which give him a 2731sqm footprint on the beach - a rarity in Takapuna.
While it is unclear what he plans to do with the additional homes, combining properties into a single residence is not new to Auckland. Fellow rich lister Graham Hart has more than 2ha on the cliffs above Karaka Bay in Glendowie. His Riddell Road property, complete with a 734sqm house and three level banqueting annex, has a CV of $40 million.
And at Stanley Point, near Devonport, one of New Zealand’s wealthiest men, Berridge Spencer, is building a sprawling luxury house set on about 1.5ha, made up of some 17 titles. Earlier this year the New Zealand Herald reported that the holding on Stanley Point Road was estimated four years ago to be worth at least $50 million, although the 2017 CV is $34.5 million.
Next to the Haddletons is another double property owned by Peter Menzies, the former CEO of Mainzeal. His holding includes plots on both the beachfront and rear lane. The three houses on the site, which has a CV of $10 million, won a New Zealand Institute of Architecture award in 2013.
When such properties come to market, demand is high.
Bayleys agent Victoria Bidwell, who is currently marketing three adjoining titles that make up a 4200sqm holding at nearby 33, 35 and 35a Clifton Road, says such large beachfront holdings are rare.
“There have been other [amalgamations] but they’re incredibly private and a big deal to get across the line,” she says.
Bidwell adds that buyers have to pay a premium to secure neighbours’ properties “and then once they’ve got the big landholding, they really don’t want to let it go”.
For sale: A 4200sqm holding at 33,35 and 35a Clifton Road, in Takapuna. Photo / Supplied
Ian Smallburn, general manager resource consents at Auckland Council, says that once owners of amalgamated land-holdings have made the appropriate boundary adjustments, they are free to demolish the existing houses and rebuild. If the property has no heritage or volcanic view-shaft restrictions, then homeowners could build out to 35 percent site coverage.
Premium agent Jim Mays, who sold Takapuna most expensive house this year, says that if someone wants to build a huge palatial home, buying up neighbouring plots is the only way to do so, as otherwise “there’s not much chance to do that on the beach.”
