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Duke & Cooke Property News |
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Published on: 31st May 2010 MAJOR SALE OF NELSON HORTICULTURAL BUSINESS MAJOR SALE OF NELSON HORTICULTURAL BUSINESSNelson horticulturist John Ewers has sold his business to one of New Zealand’s largest produce wholesalers. The value of Mr Ewers’ deal with grower co-operative MG Marketing has not been disclosed, but it is thought to be worth millions of dollars. Mr Ewers confirmed to The Nelson Mail that the business changed hands this month, although he continued to be involved. He started the business by buying about eight hectares of bare land in 1974 and employing two staff. The operation now involves 8ha of glasshouses, 20ha of crops and 100ha of leased land for vegetable production. It employs 150 staff. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 24 May 2010) FAILURE TO BUILD DAM 'WILL COST $440M'Growers and farmers on the Waimea Plains would face 70 per cent cuts in water rights, costing Nelson $440 million in production income over 25 years, if the Lee Valley dam did not go ahead, city councillors have been warned. Waimea Water Augmentation Committee members spoke to Nelson councillors on Friday during annual plan hearings. Nelson has been asked to contribute $146,000 (excluding GST) to the next stage of progress, which focuses on detailed design work. Consultants have estimated this stage to cost about $1.2m, committee chairman Murray King said. Nelson city gave inkind help during the first three years of forming the concept, and $200,000 in cash to the detailed feasibility study from 2007 to 2009. Mr King said $2.5m and a ‘‘significant amount of time’’ had been spent on the $41.5m project, which aims to solve ‘‘acute water shortage issues’’ on the Waimea Plains. Councillors were told that without water to match current and future demand for irrigation, the region would suffer economically. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 24 May 2010) LAND OWNERS PROTEST RATE RISEOwners of small land holdings in Nelson have challenged the council to think again before imposing a crippling rates hike on them this year. The land owners were expected to bear the brunt of proposed changes to Nelson’s rating system, announced by the Nelson City Council in March. Close to 500 properties categorised as a small holding are facing an average 20 per cent rates rise, or $365 a year, as the council considers its annual plan. The owners are currently exempt from paying stormwater charges, but if their rating category was abolished as proposed, owners of these properties, except for those east of Gentle Annie in north Nelson, will pay the charges. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 25 May 2010) VALLEY 'MAY BECOME GHETTO'Council employee opposes plan Brook Valley resident and longtime Nelson City Council administrator Andrew Rose is challenging a council-backed low-cost housing scheme for the valley, saying it could create a ghetto. The council agreed in principle to support the development in April last year, proposing that a semi-circle of land between the Brook Stream and the road be used. The site is beside the area used by Whakatu Riding for the Disabled and the Waimarama Community Organic Gardens. The proposal is to take up 4000 square metres of the OK Corral site, which is currently freehold and zoned residential. Some public space would be left. The council intends to give the land, for which it has estimated a value of $300,000, to the trust, which would rent the houses to people on low and moderate incomes at about 80 per cent of the market rate. It will also waive the development levy, estimated at $125,000, to give a total council contribution of $425,000. Housing New Zealand will provide 50 per cent of the funding for the $2.5 million project. The papers supplied to residents at the end of last week say that the housing has been architecturally designed by Peter Olorenshaw, together with Hybrid Homes and Living, and would use sustainable building materials and practices. (The Nelson Mail, Wednesday 26 May 2010) MARINA PLAN PRESENTEDA previously confidential plan to expand the Nelson Marina in the Nelson Haven has been presented to the city council in the hope it will pick up the project. Nelson engineer Stuart Hughes who runs the port and harbour project management firm, submitted the idea to the council's annual plan after the group that commissioned the study decided not to go ahead with it. (The Nelson Mail, Wednesday 26 May 2010) PLAYHOUSE LEASED TO CATERERThe Nelson finance company that took possession of the Playhouse Cafe after its founders fled the country in February has found a leaseholder, after failing to sell the property. Fico Finance has leased the running of the cafe to Nelson caterer Phillip Thorn, who also owns Elizabeth Catering and Waimea Rd’s Bakers Inn. Mr Thorn opened the doors of the cafe at the beginning of last week. (The Nelson Mail, Thursday 27 May 2010) PLANTERS HAVE ENTHUSIASM IN SPADESThey say many hands make light work and that was certainly the case when 120 students from four Nelson colleges got down and dirty, planting 3000 trees at Tahunanui Beach. Students from Nelson College, Nelson College for Girls, Nayland College and Waimea College yesterday planted cabbage trees, flax, olearia, myrsine and rushes from Nelmac’s nursery at Tahunanui’s back beach as part of Youth Week. The trees were bought using a Lotteries Commission grant and money donated via Bowater Honda’s TreeFund. (The Nelson Mail, Friday 28 May 2010) BRIGHTWATER DEVELOPMENTResource consent has been granted for a commercial and residential development on Brightwater’s Ellis St. Businessman Dale Ewers is behind the project, which will house 10 commercial premises with 10 two-bedroom flats on the second storey of the building. He said there had been substantial interest in the site. ‘‘Already we have a cafe, auto electrician and several other businesses all but confirmed.’’ Mr Ewers said he was still waiting for a building permit and hoped work could begin within the next month or two. (The Nelson Mail, Friday 28 May 2010) WORK SITE MURALS CELEBRATE NEW ARTS BUILDINGSchool students have planned and created most of a 12-part mural surrounding the Nelson polytechnic’s new arts and media building in Nile St. The vibrant mural, put together by students from 10 Nelson region schools, was unveiled yesterday. It will surround the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) building during its construction. Of the mural’s 12 panels, 10 were planned and painted by school students under the direction of arts and media school head Suzie Peacock. The remaining two were created by polytechnic students and staff. (The Nelson Mail, Friday 28 May 2010) 20 STOKE HEIGHTS SECTIONS UNSOLDTwenty sections remain unsold in the 220-section subdivision developed by the Ridgeways joint venture. Five sections sold during the past year. Joint venture chairman Seddon Marshall updated the city council last week on progress, and said $500,000 was paid to the council in its share of gains last December. The amount brings total payments to the council of $8.3 million. The council is partner to Homedale Holdings Ltd and together they have developed the Stoke Heights subdivision. Mr Marshall said four of the section sales were settled late last year, and the fifth was in settlement phase now. In February last year the council and Homedale Holdings each said they wanted out of the partnership. A council report last week said no additional funding was required. Net income after costs of sale resulted in about $60,000 per section. Future income for the remaining sections is forecast to be $300,000 this financial year, and $480,000 over the following two financial years. (The Nelson Mail, Friday 28 May 2010) PROPERTY WATCHPrice tag of $4.3m An industrial property at 53 Beatty St, Stoke, has become one of a select group of commercial properties in Nelson to sell for several million dollars. Colliers International Nelson managing director Tony Gowans confirmed he sold the property housing Carter Holt Harvey, the OBrien Group, Fletcher Distribution and Timpack Industries to a local investor. It fetched $4.3 million. With more than 1.2 hectares of land, the property has a rateable value of $4.45m. Mr Gowans said about four parties had been interested in buying it. Colliers International agent Geoff Faulkner also sold a car park at 89 Collingwood St for more than $400,000 after having it on the market to lease. It has an RV of $375,000. Mr Gowans said the market had not rebounded with vengeance after the Budget but was ‘‘softly’’ continuing. He believed it would remain in this pattern for the next few years. Health centre gains consent The Nelson City Council has granted resource consent for the former Independent Middle School site at Towai St, Stoke, to become a natural health centre. Nelson businessman Brian Brown is intending to employ various natural health specialists to provide services to the community from the Natural Health School. Four neighbouring property owners objected to the plans, mainly because the hours of operation spanned seven days a week. The hearing panel concluded any adverse affects were no more than minor and could be mitigated by consent conditions. The decision ends a frustrating search by former Independent Middle School owner Tony Draaijer to find a new owner for the building since the economic climate forced him to close the school early last year. Sales at high-end of market Nelson clocked up several higher-end residential sales last month. These include a three-bedroom holiday home at 4 Torlesse Dr, Kaiteriteri, which was listed for $949,000 on February and sold for $860,000. It has an RV of $879,000. A three-bedroom home on 1194 square metre section at 166 Moana Ave, Nelson, with an RV of $570,000 sold for $800,000, a four-bedroom home at 21 Valhalla Dr, Richmond, with a RV of $860,000 went for $800,000 and another four-bedroom home at 38 Park Dr, Richmond, with an RV of $890,000 fetched $827,500. A 5182 square metre section at 192 Tokongawa Dr, Kaiteriteri, that was listed last year for $1.2 million was sold for $760,000. Its RV was $990,000. Locals buy Wakefield Hotel The Wakefield Hotel was sold to Nelson people before an auction which was due to take place today, Bayleys agent Dave Jeffery said. The property, with a RV of $470,000, includes a large public bar, gaming area, restaurant and large garden area. Mr Jeffrey said it was signed up on Thursday. He could not comment on the price. ‘‘It carried enough weight to stop the auction.’’ The ‘‘surprising bit’’ was the hotel generated almost as much interest from Australian and Auckland buyers as it did from locals, he said. New owner for Homesell Homesell has been taken over by Helena Barrow. Mrs Barrow, a former owner of the Maruia River Lodge, said she had a finance and marketing background and had owned investment properties. ‘‘I used my marketing skills to sell the properties. It was in doing so that I quickly realised the enormous savings to be made by not paying real estate commissions. In fact, I calculated I saved more than $112,000 net in real estate commissions selling my own properties and in each instance I was able to achieve well above average market prices.’’ There’s no secret involved – ‘‘it was simply well constructed, targeted marketing plans,’’ she said. Mrs Barrow hopes to share her advice with clients in her new business. Judging under way in competition The Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition has attracted 20 entries from the Nelson region – 16 residential and four commercial projects. Judging has begun and results will be announced at a gala dinner at the Hope Community Church on June 25. Two new features this year are the supreme award for renovations sponsored by Placemakers and the introduction of a platinum award for companies that have received five or more national awards. The competition is in its 20th year. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 29 May 2010) THOUGHT FOR THE WEEKWhat was the best think before sliced bread? |
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This publication is compiled by Duke & Cooke Ltd, valuation and property specialists. The information contained within this newssheet has been obtained from various local sources and no responsibility is held for any parties relying on the accuracy of this information without obtaining independent verification. To contact us regarding circulation of this service: Phone +64 (03) 5489104, Fax +64 (03) 5468668, or email: admin@valuersnelson.co.nz |