Properties formerly linked to Timaru gang for sale
Friday, 28 July 2023
Land that once housed a fortified gang pad at the centre of tensions between the Devils Henchmen and Rebels is for sale in Timaru.
The Timaru District Council confirmed it had bought the long-time headquarters of the Devils Henchmen, at 90 Meadows Rd, just minutes before demolition of the buildings started on May 16, the council later confirming it had spent $1.26m acquiring the property.
Three weeks later it confirmed it had purchased three other “gang-affiliated’’ properties on the same road, bringing the total spent to more than $2 million.
However, the council has remained tight-lipped on exactly who made the call to spend the money.
In a statement released on Friday, the council confirmed the sites had been cleared, and the land was for sale in two separate tenders.
One tender is for the 8766m² site at 90 Meadows Rd, the other for the combined 2433m² site at 76-80 Meadows Rd, with the option of purchasing all the land, or one of three 811m² sites.
The council described the properties as high-profile and sought-after sites with “excellent development potential’’.
They were zoned Industrial H, which allowed for a range of uses, including heavy and light industrial, storage, and distribution.
At the time of the property purchase, Timaru District mayor Nigel Bowen said the council buying the land on behalf of the community was just one step in preventing gangs from setting up in the town.
On Friday, he said he was pleased the properties had been cleared quickly and were ready for marketing.
“While there was a significant social benefit in buying these properties, they were never meant to be a long-term investment for council, so it’s great we can now take them to market,” he said.
He described Washdyke as the “industrial powerhouse of the district’’ and with land in high demand, he expected the sites would be an attractive proposition for developers or businesses wanting to expand or come to Timaru.
“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the local contractors, who have pulled all the stops to get us to this point. It’s been a big effort, and I’m sure it’s one that’s appreciated by the whole community.”
The properties were being sold by private tender, which would close at noon on August 24.
Options for sale of the land would be presented to the council for approval at its September 5 meeting, and the decision made public after confirmation with the purchaser.
Praise was heaped on the council from around the country for the way it swiftly took action to purchase and demolish the properties after the Rebels gang took over the long-term headquarters of the Devils Henchmen.
It was later learnt the decision to buy the property at 90 Meadows Rd was not ratified by the council until a public-excluded meeting on May 30 – two weeks later.
It announced on June 6, the council had purchased not one, but four properties on Meadows Rd, as part of the plan to drive the gangs out of town.
The industrial-zoned properties at 76-80 Meadows Rd were purchased by the council for “capital value”. The capital value of 76 Meadows Rd (811m2) was $285,000, 78 Meadows Rd (820m2) was $270,000 and 80 Meadows Rd (814m2) was $305,000, making the total spent on Meadows Rd properties $2,120,000.
The work to clear the sites was delayed following the discovery of asbestos in some of the buildings.