A soon-to-be-vacant Taupo car yard is poised for a major retail redevelopment as part of a wider expansion of the town centre.

The nearly 2,800-square-metre (more or less) freehold corner site now for sale on Ruapehu Street is currently home to Hyundai and Isuzu vehicle dealerships. With the dealerships relocating, it is being offered to buyers with vacant possession.

Development-friendly zoning and outstanding profile, with over 100 metres of frontage to key town centre thoroughfares Ruapehu and Horomatangi streets, promises developers the chance to create “something special”, according to Bayleys salesperson Gary Harwood.

“Positioned at the eastern fringe of the CBD, in an area identified by town planners for retail expansion, this is a superb site for redevelopment with the likes of a multi-tenanted shopping complex or international hotel.

“It offers a unique opportunity to help shape the future of the town centre as it grows eastward. The area’s transformation is already underway with a new Taupo District Council chambers building under construction on the site next door.

“The large high-profile site for sale offers the chance to contribute further to the evolution of this exciting growth precinct,” Harwood said.

The freehold property at 67 Ruapehu Street, Taupo, is being offered for sale by negotiation, through Harwood and colleague Lisa Christensen of Bayleys Taupo.

The approximately 2,790-square-metre (more or less) site currently contains buildings with a combined floor area of approximately 1,026 square metres.

The existing vehicle dealership buildings include showroom and workshop areas, supported by an extensive car display yard.

The northwest-facing site receives all-day sun and is supported by plenty of on-street parking on both Ruapehu and Horomatangi streets, including directly along both frontages.

Christensen said the substantial freehold site’s redevelopment potential was underpinned by its current zoning under Taupo’s district plan.

“The front portion of the land is zoned as part of the town centre pedestrian precinct, which is home to the bulk of the town’s vibrant existing retail and hospitality scene. The rear portion forms part of a precinct zoned for an eastward expansion of town centre retail activity.

“A high-density residential zone just to the east of this retail expansion precinct supports housing intensification.

“This will, in turn, boost the immediate catchment and customer base and further lift the busy foot and vehicle traffic in the town centre commercial hub,” said Christensen.

The Ruapehu Street property sits at the edge of a concentration of big-name retailers including Whitcoulls, Cotton On, Kathmandu, Noel Leeming, Warehouse Stationery and Bed, Bath & Beyond, as well as major banks, service stations, medical centres and schools.

“Horomatangi Street is well established as one of Taupo’s primary retail destinations. A development where it meets arterial Ruapehu Street, at the site for sale, will be a natural extension of this just across a key intersection,” said Christensen.

Click here for more information on the listing.