Developer: Timaru business park plan on scrapheap due to 'little interest'

Thursday, 7 December 2023

A business park planned for Timaru’s north end will not proceed, with the developer behind it saying there was “very little interest”.

The Showgrounds Business Park, proposed for 3-7 Eversley St, Timaru, was advertised in August as being “nestled in an exceptional location’’ with pedestrian access, subject to consent, connecting it to The Showgrounds retail development, north of the site, and with the hopes it might have been extended to vehicle access.

However, developer Tony Gapes told The Timaru Herald this week the decision had been made not to proceed with the development.

Gapes is also behind The Showgrounds development, on State Highway 1.

“This concept has been very successful in many other New Zealand towns, where tradies and people needing storage have bought the units,’' he said.

“Unfortunately, there was very little interest from the people of Timaru.’’

Plans for the 1371sqm² Eversley St site, off State Highway 1, included 12 40sqm² units, 14 60sqm² units and 10 70sqm² units, with work expected to have been finished by the end of 2024.

While that idea had been scrapped, Gapes said there are developments to report from the neighbouring retail centre, The Showgrounds.

Chemist Warehouse had opened and was trading “very well’’,

and two small food tenancies were close to being finalised, he said.

He said the businesses were new to Timaru.

“We hope to get Building 1, which is the building closest to the entrance, under way early in the New Year.

“We are still waiting for the building consent from the council, and once we have this we can get going.’’

The building would include international gym chain Anytime Fitness, Xplosive Supplements, and other tenancies were being worked on, he said.

Xplosive Supplements chief executive John Birrell said it was a “no-brainer’’ for the company, which began in his garage 12 years ago, to open its 21st store in Timaru.

“Timaru will be a good site,’’ Birrell said.

“We enjoy local communities. We do a lot of work when events are on, and people are more receptive because we get out there and get involved.’’

The company was a sports supplement retailer, and Birrell said he had wanted to open a store in Timaru for a couple of years, and was looking forward to doing so.

He said people in smaller towns were also more likely to visit a store as opposed to buying online.

“I did the math on Timaru, and I think we’ll do quite well down there.’’

Gapes said while national restaurant chain Lone Star had still not managed to secure a suitable franchisee for the site, “they are still working on it’’.

The nationwide franchise was confirmed as a tenant in the 34,000 square metre development in March 2022.

In September, Lone Star director of new business, Shane Hausler, confirmed the company was still interested in opening at The Showgrounds, and said it was still looking for a franchisee.

Gapes said it was hoped stage two of the development, which is to be built where a pile of excavated material lies, or on ‘Hudson’s Hill’ as he referred to it (named after the company’s development manager, Paul Hudson), would be underway by the middle of next year.

“The retail tenancies in this stage are almost fully leased, and we hope to be able to announce some exciting new tenants early in the new year.’’

On Wednesday, the Timaru District Council confirmed an application by the property developer to change the conditions of a subdivision consent at the retail development also remains on hold.

“There is nothing further we can add at this time,’’ the council’s communications and engagement manager, Stephen Doran said.