CentrePort is key

By Suzanne Green

Friday 13th February 2004

A new commercial business park being developed by Wellington port company CentrePort is an integral part of plans to revamp the city's northern entrance.

The first phase of the 50-year City Gateway project was launched last week and CentrePort is one of the key landowners working with Wellington City Council on the plan.

CentrePort Commercial Business Park will cover about 8ha of the port's 43ha of waterfront land in an area seaward of Waterloo Quay, between Strait Shipping to the north and Westpac Stadium to the south.

An extension of existing office space tenanted by Telstra Clear, the New Zealand Rugby Union and CentrePort itself, it will eventually connect with the Wellington Waterfront Ltd's Queen's Wharf developments.

Mixed-use commercial activity was growing, with an emphasis toward commercial office and bulk retail space, CentrePort's strategic development manager Neville Hyde said.

The company was talking to a number of parties about development opportunities within the park.

The company was working with the council to upgrade traffic and amenity features.

These included improved pedestrian links along Waterloo Quay and a new operational port entrance to the north of the business park with access to the park, through what was now the main port entrance.

Mr Hyde said emphasis would be placed on the positioning of each building, to ensure each had natural light around the complete exterior.

It would also enable workers to have good views toward the harbour.

"The operational port activity adjoining the business park will provide an ever-changing activity interest not available elsewhere in the city commercial area," he said.

As well as its handy location with easy access to transport services, the CBD and Parliament, the quality of space was a major attraction.

"We can offer large floor-plate coverage which means tenants can have exactly what they require."

This was particularly attractive for companies wanting more modern building infrastructure in a city where much of the office stock was dated.

It was expected about 8000 office workers would be housed in the park.

"Our research suggests that the park will provide 10% more office space in the city," Mr Hyde said.

"According to current growth projections, this should equate to about 15 years of forward development capacity."

It was expected fringe businesses such as cafes and gymnasiums would open up nearby.

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