Two greenfield sites for sale offer developers a unique chance to shape the heart of a new master-planned community taking shape in a fast-growing North Auckland location.

With a combined area of some 6,650 square metres, the vacant freehold properties will be zoned to provide the retail and commercial services hub serving the new village-style community at Ara Hills, on the edge of Orewa.

The zoning will also allow for associated housing, creating an exceptional canvas for mixed-use commercial and residential projects.

The wider 84-hectare Ara Hills development is consented for 525 lots, which could rise to 900 under a consent variation being considered by Auckland Council. It sits within one of Auckland’s fastest-growing areas, underpinning commercial and residential tenant demand.

The properties for sale sit within a few minutes’ drive of central Orewa, and moments from north and southbound motorway access.

The two flat, freehold landholdings at Lot 580 and Lot 581, Ara Hills, Orewa, Auckland, are being marketed for sale by Alex Perigo and Ben Clare of Bayleys Silverdale.

The sites will be sold together or separately by way of a tender closing on Thursday 7th March 2024 (unless sold prior).

The approximately 1,889-square-metre Lot 580 will be zoned Business – Neighbourhood Centre under the Auckland Unitary Plan.

Perigo said this opened the way for a new shopping hub catering to the community’s retail and commercial service needs, including the likes of convenience shops and cafés. Provisions typically enable buildings of up to three storeys with residential use at upper levels.

The landholding of some 4,761 square metres at Lot 581 will be partly zoned Business – Neighbourhood Centre, with the remainder forming part of the Residential – Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings Zone.

“Predominantly located around metropolitan, town and local centres, the Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings Zone is the most intensive of all of Auckland’s residential zones, supporting townhouses and multi-storey apartment or mixed-use complexes to a height of up to 16 metres. Permitted activities also include cafés and small-scale retail.

“Multi-level development here could unlock expansive sea views over the Hauraki Gulf from upper levels, enabling a developer to maximise value from the residential component. Wide street frontage will assure retailers at both sites of high-profile exposure to Grand Drive, while the area’s rapidly expanding population will further underpin demand for both residential and retail tenancies,” said Perigo.

The Ara Hills project is creating a village-based community with clusters of apartments, terraced houses and standalone homes on compact or large sections catering to a variety of lifestyles, within green and open space areas. The 128-hectare Nukumea Reserve provides an attractive green backdrop of native bush to the west.

The project is being progressed by ASX-listed residential property development giant AVJennings, which is also behind the flagship master-planned Auckland township of Hobsonville Point.

Numerous sites have already been developed at Ara Hills, which is now home to more than 360 residents with 123 homes complete.

Clare said the community’s semi-rural setting offered residents a relaxed lifestyle, while also being handy to the amenities of Orewa and within easy reach of Auckland’s big-city attractions.

Its position just off the Northern Motorway supports easy connections north and south, including to Auckland’s CBD some 30 minutes to the south.

“Ara Hills is taking shape amid a wider boom in greenfield development activity to support the area’s booming population, which since 2006 has soared by around 40 percent, to over 10,000.

“This places Orewa among the Auckland region’s fastest-growing locations, as it continues its transformation from a beach suburb and retirement hub to a hotspot for families seeking lifestyle options.

“Numerous highly rated primary and secondary schools add to the area’s family-friendly appeal,” Clare said.

With easy access to shopping, entertainment, and recreational facilities, Ara Hills offers an attractive balance of city and country living and is regarded as one of the most desirable locations in North Auckland for both residential and commercial development.

The surrounding area is home to commercial amenities such as the Silverdale Business Park as well as the Orewa commercial district, which offers a variety of shops, cafés and restaurants.

Click here for more information on the listing.