Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon says new industrial development the Rangiora Business Hub is helping to unlock the potential of the burgeoning North Canterbury district.
He was speaking at a recent milestone event to celebrate the rapid progress of the earthworks, which are ahead of schedule.
Titles are expected to be issued in the fourth quarter of this year.
Rangiora is in the heart of the thriving Waimakariri District, one of the fastest growing catchments in New Zealand.
Start your property search
“North Canterbury continues to be a desirable location for big businesses to invest in and call home. Recent infrastructure such as the Christchurch Northern Corridor, as well as a growing population base and skilled workforce, coupled with well serviced industrial developments such as the Rangiora Business Hub, mean Waimakariri is in high demand,” Gordon says.
The industrial park is being developed by Mainland Capital, a South Island-based commercial property investment manager with an impressive track record of delivering high-quality commercial subdivisions and buildings.
Covering 13.8ha, the Hub is on Todds Road, near Flaxton Road, where the likes of McDonald’s, Mitre10 Mega, Pak’nSave, Daniel Smith Industries, Hallmark Group, Farmlands, and PGG Irrigation are housed. Sites range in size from 1,249sq m to 1.35ha.
According to provisional GDP estimates from Infometrics, Waimakariri’s economy grew 3.4 per cent over the year to December 2022, ahead of the national increase of 2.8 per cent.
Its growth has been broad-based, reflecting that the district continues to attract a range of new residents working both locally and in Christchurch.
Consumer spending in Waimakariri grew 9 per cent during the year.
Sam Staite and Noel Gilchrist of Colliers Christchurch say an acute shortage of commercial land in Waimakariri and of large industrial sites in Christchurch is spurring demand for the Rangiora Business Hub, with over half the development already sold and a further two lots under contract.
“Mainland was originally planning to release the lots in two stages, but such has been the demand, that we’ve opened it all up,” Staite says.
Gilchrist says many buyers had been looking to establish commercial premises in Rangiora for some time.
“Until the launch of the Rangiora Business Hub, they have been frustrated by the shortage of affordable, freehold industrial land.”
Those comments are echoed by Mike Greer, who has bought 1.2ha where he plans to build a centre of excellence for construction research.
“We’re already well under way with planning and hope we can start work later in the year,” Greer says.
“There’s such a scarcity of quality industrial land in Canterbury. This ticks all the boxes for us, providing a large site, being well serviced by surrounding amenity, a pool of good quality potential staff at hand, and great arterial transport links,” Greer says.
“We’re excited about the future of Rangiora, highlighted by huge demand for our new 100ha residential subdivision, which will be the area’s largest with 1,300 sections.”
Another of the early movers is Go Wireless NZ, a leading distributor of wireless networking and IoT hardware which has bought 5,000sq m in the new development.
“We need more office space for our staff and warehouse space for stock. We’re currently spread over three premises, and this will bring us all together in one location.
"Moving to the Rangiora Business Hub allows us to build a space that exactly fits our needs,” says Dale Roberts, Go Wireless NZ’s Sales & Managing Director.
Among other buyers is civil engineering firm BG Contracting, which is undertaking the Hub’s earthworks, and SwiftDry Clotheslines NZ.
- Article supplied by Colliers
