Property Insider: Two Woolworths sell for $45m+; Swarbrick backs Karangahape Rd building; Tenancy Tribunal awards levies to bodies corporate

We learned this month of Foodstuffs North Island (FSNI) buying the property and land at Woolworths Te Atatū to swap it into a New World, opening in winter, 2026.

FSNI’s property boss Lindsay Rowles described the company’s victory over rival Woolworths as a “game-changer” after it swooped to buy that property, which had been leased by Woolworths.

Woolworths is due to close next month – then the area won’t have a supermarket for more than a year.

Rowles said his business would deliver “a quantum leap in West Auckland” and he called the purchase a “grocery game-changer on the way for Te Atatū”.

About a fortnight ago, Colliers’ Blair Peterken also announced a Woolworths in West Auckland had sold for $20.2 million.

“Colliers has the privilege to announce the sale of Woolworths Westgate located at 5 Maki St. Thank you to our vendor Centuria New Zealand on this transaction.” No buyer was named.

On March 18, Investore Property told the NZX it had agreed to sell Woolworths Mount Roskill at 112 Stoddard Rd for $25m, which was a $2.5m premium to book value. Again, no buyer was named.

Karangahape Rd plan fiasco

Mixed reactions were expressed to RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop castigating Auckland Council’s independent hearing commissioners for rejecting plans for the $100m James Kirkpatrick Group office development on Karangahape Rd.

A resource management specialist said: “He does sound off about stuff he knows nothing about. This part of K Rd has very restrictive zoning. Has he read that?”

But others backed the minister’s criticism of the rejection, saying with the new City Rail Link’s Karang-a-Hape Station opening soon, a new office of 11 levels was precisely what was needed. That would bring people and activity to the area.

“And here’s what the site looks like today, on a wet Auckland day. It’s not adding much value or contribution to K Rd’s historic ambience right now. Seems like another lost opportunity,” one supporter of the scheme wrote.

Another was surprised a 15m height limit so close to a mass transit station was not removed as part of the last Government’s development intensification changes.

Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick told the Herald she backs plans for the new building.

“I strongly support density done well and mixed-use development. My understanding of this development is that it would bring approximately 400 people into its offices and vibrancy to the street front. It is currently a gravel pit,” Swarbrick said.

New Zealand needs a modern, smart planning system that puts the wellbeing of communities, climate adaptation and people-centred design first, she said.

“It’s worth being wary of any political party promising that they’ll fix everything with their upcoming reforms, which they’re currently keeping secret, refusing to share or meaningfully engage with the Opposition on before announcing publicly,” she said on RMA reform.

Paid your body corporate fee yet?

Big financial orders are being made against apartment owners who don’t pay their body corporate fees or levies.

And they’re charged a punitive 10% interest on outstanding amounts.

The Tenancy Tribunal awarded $31,900 to the body corporate of Stratis at Lighter Quay, at 83 Halsey St in the Viaduct area.

Jing Sun and Lixia Ma must pay $23,000 in levies as well as more than $5500 in legal costs for attempts to recover amounts.

The owners didn’t answer calls but were sent demands. The tribunal’s K. Koller made the order on February 18.

Last month, the tribunal heard the case against Zhongquin Yang, who has a unit in New Lynn’s Merchant Quarter at 20 McCrae Way.

The body corporate sought $14,900 but the owner did not attend the hearing via a Teams video link. The tribunal hears cases where parties are absent, the decision noted.

Unpaid levies, interest, costs and the filing fee were sought. The tribunal’s S. Young made the order against the owner in favour of the body corporate on February 17.

Two owners of a Parc apartment in the Viaduct agreed on February 12 to pay $49,000: Layne Harwood and Catherine Coleman were charged levies of $46,000 and the extra was for legal costs, interest and a filing fee. But unlike the other two cases, all parties attended this hearing in the matter brought by Body Corporate 336460.

Harwood told the Herald that the tribunal was the right place for the case to be heard and referred to leasehold fees having risen 85% at the last review: “It’s all sorted out and we’re happy about it.”

$1.1b Canadian investor selling in Manukau

Canadian pension business, the New Zealand-registered PSPIB/CPPIB Waiheke Inc, is selling its big Auckland retail investment, the Manukau Supa Centa.

The large-format centre of 39,000sq m is being marketed by JLL’s New Zealand and Australia investment teams. Kmart, Noel Leeming, Warehouse Stationery, Rebel Sport and Briscoes are just some of the retailers there.

An Environment Court appeal between the Canadian business and Auckland Transport last March described the scope of the business here.

“Waiheke Inc owns a $1.1 billion property portfolio of commercial and retail assets in New Zealand, including the Manukau Supa Centa. Waiheke Inc is managed by AMP Capital/Dexus.”

Harry Fergusson of JLL said international and national retailers trade from the hub on the Lambie/Cavendish Drive corner.

PSPIB stands for Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board. CPPIB stands for the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

The latest accounts filed with the Companies Office in New Zealand showed profit had sunk lately, from $19.4m in the year to December 30, 2023 to $905,000 in the year to December 30, 2024.

That is because 2023’s accounts were boosted by a $27.2m gain on the value of investment properties. In 2024, the business had its valuations written down in a $15.4m unrealised loss.

But rental income increased from $72m to $74m.

Property records indicate the Canadian business owns Auckland’s 45-53 Queen St and Wellington’s 12 Customhouse Quay, 113 The Terrace and 45 Pipitea St.

In 2000, the Herald reported North Shore property investor Jonmer Projects selling the Manukau centre, seeking about $60m for 16 shops and a food hall.

Jonmer had been developing the centre on the 11ha former Ford Motors site on the airport side of Manukau City since it bought the land in 1996, that article said.

Expressions of interest close on April 16.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.