Myriad of development options await huge commercial space in East Auckland

A huge ‘blank canvas’ of commercially-zoned land in East Auckland has been placed on the market for sale or lease – with a myriad of options being touted as potential use.

The parcels of land comprise six East Tamaki addresses in immediate proximity to each other – and feature bare land as well as existing warehousing and office amenities.

Named Accent Estate, these land parcels or existing buildings located along the high-profile road frontage of Te Irirangi and Accent Drives near Botany are controlled by different owners, who have combined their individual interests into one identity.

East Tamaki is one of the nation’s largest commercial and industrial precincts with more than 2.1million square metres of commercial floor space. The area benefits from excellent transport links providing easy access to state highway networks, and has experienced significant steady growth over the years - with a resultant growing pressure on land supply.

While predominantly considered to be an industrial precinct, the changing demographics in the area are promoting a wider variety of mixed use development as demand increases.

The sites are being marketed by Bayleys Real Estate in what has been labelled a rarely-used ‘blank canvas’ campaign. Bayleys East Tamaki commercial sales and leasing broker Jamsheed Sidhwa said the range of permutations for businesses to secure a position at Accent Estate was unlike anything else - given the demographical evidence of growth in the area and the high standard of premises already occupied by leading brands in this particular part of East Auckland.

The bare land sections range in size from approximately 7000m² to 12,500m². Immediately beside the biggest section are two further sites of 6727m² and 7287m², containing a high-stud warehouse and two high-tech’ office blocks which could be converted to large format retail.

“For leading brands or those aspiring to raise their public persona, this location is a unique opportunity to showcase their businesses adjacent to Te Irirangi Drive, because as a key arterial, it connects Howick Ward and Flat Bush to Central Manukau and out to Auckland Airport,” says Mr. Sidhwa.

Bayleys Commercial & Industrial division head Chris Bayley said: “Over the three decades I have been involved with real estate across New Zealand, it is unprecedented to see competing vendors taking a ‘bigger picture’ view of the potential, and openly willing to work with each other to complete the development.”

Subdivision developer Bill Clark said appropriate covenants had been placed on building quality and infrastructure within the area to uphold a high quality look and feel to businesses operating there.

Three leading architecture firms have prepared design schemes to showcase what the greenfields sites could look like. One of them is a 4000m² green-star rated commercial building with under-cover parking to maximise its building-to-site ratio.

Next are options for either large format retail or office-warehouse up to approximately 6000m². Yet another option available on a rear site is the development of high-stud industrial units with relatively smaller floor-plates between 1500m² to 3000m².

Complementing the design-build options are two existing high-spec’, high-security offices and warehouse options that become available for tenancy in early 2013. The design of these linked single-level office blocks means they can be converted to customer-service centres or large-format showrooms facing Te Irirangi Drive.

Just behind the offices is a modern high stud, high security warehouse of 3,550m2 that is accessible from Beale Place. To the right business, having an adjacent distribution centre could be an excellent supply-chain advantage.

“The original architect who designed these premises, has expressed a desire to potentially reposition them for new tenants wishing to take advantage of the intricacies and nuance they possess,” said Mr Sidhwa.

“The key point of difference at Accent Estate is ‘choice’ for businesses between ownership or lease options on existing premises or design-build in an established premier precinct that is well positioned to service the area’s on-going growth,” said Mr. Sidhwa.

Expressions of interest in the Accent Estate land parcels are being taken until February 29, 2012.