The opportunity for convenience retailers to be part of a new retail centre anchored by Countdown in Hobsonville, northwest Auckland, is being offered through Colliers International.
Units and floor space in the Hobson Centre, which is under construction at 124 Hobsonville Rd, are available through Colliers International’s Peter Gorton and Chloe Franklin-Hall.
“The centre is due for completion in September and offers sensibly sized suburban retail and commercial tenancies intended to service the immediate primary catchment,” says Gorton.
The development will offer a proven combination of a national brand supermarket and complementary convenience retail such as Sushi Tank Juice, a pharmacy and Hardy’s Health among its already 80 per cent leased profile.
“We expect continuing strong interest from retailers and commercial businesses for the very limited quality spaces remaining in the new centre, especially given the success of similar developments around Auckland’s fringe,” says Gorton.
“This is a successful formula replicated in several locations because it is proven to work.
“The take-up from small to medium commercial operators so far has been particularly encouraging. These medium to smaller office tenancies are ideal for meeting the requirements of businesses whose client bases are in the immediate area.”
The centre will comprise two separate buildings: one housing the 3800 sqm Countdown supermarket with a two storey architecturally designed extension with nine smaller retail units; and an adjacent 2100sqm two-level multi-use building, which also houses the development’s larger retail tenants such as the pharmacy and cafes together with a number of office tenancies.
Two retail units, 97sqm and 70sqm, of nine remain available for lease on the ground floor of the architecturally-designed extension building, while three 115sqm ground floor retail units are still for lease in the adjacent, larger building along with 300sqm of commercial office space directly above on level one.
“Flexible options for the commercial floor space usage are available, ranging from a minimum 90sqm through to the larger 300sqm contiguous space,” says Gorton.
“We’re aiming to provide options that will suit a variety of operators. A wide range of occupier types will be considered to ensure the best tenant mix for the centre.”
Additional contracted businesses to date include fast food, personal care, seated dining and a fitness centre.
“Hobson Centre’s location adjacent to a major arterial route, which will ultimately form part of the Western Ring Route linking Upper Harbour and West Auckland with direct motorway access to Manukau and Auckland Airport, makes the centre a compelling proposition,” says Franklin-Hall.
The site is flanked by two major urban developments: Westgate Retail Centre to the west and the various smaller new Hobsonville Point developments just a few hundred metres away to the east.
WRC is the largest master planned urbanisation project currently underway in New Zealand.
“It is projected to generate several thousand jobs and become the major commercial hub of northwest Auckland. It will be a key metropolitan urban centre for the Auckland region, offering shopping, entertainment, business and public amenities spread over 56ha,” said Franklin-Hall.
