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The derelict Waiwera Thermal Resort is once again being offered for sale, along with the aquifer that feeds the pools and the adjacent bottling plant; the campground and the hotel site on the beach side of the resort.
The resort closed in February 2018 with promises of a major renovation into a wellness spa, which never eventuated.
Recently, owners Urban Partners put the properties in the hands of real estate agents Colliers, who are seeking international expressions of interest for the three sites, either individually or together. In total the properties are 45,680sqm.
The resort is recognised as a regional tourist attraction under the Auckland Unitary Plan and the properties have zoning allowing for business, residential development, health and wellness, tourism, hospitality and visitor accommodation.
In a press release, project director Doug Osborne said Urban Partners had high ambitions and the best intentions for its Waiwera properties.
It announced in 2020 that it hoped to develop a world-class tourism and hospitality precinct there (HM October 1, 2020) but has so far been unable to find a joint venture partner to help turn its vision into reality.
“While we have long understood the potential of the site, Covid and the associated border closures have added further delays to our goal of finding a partner who can see the wellness opportunity of the site and work with us to develop the coastal haven to its potential,” Osborne says. “While we welcome the opportunity to continue our involvement, our priority is the uninterrupted development for the region and local community.”
Colliers’ marketing campaign, which began on April 23, says that the historic thermal spa underpins the potential for a large scale, coastal residential and mixed-use development.
“The favourable land-use zonings offer a blank canvas for a diverse range of uses and commercial activities, including residential development, health and wellness, tourism, hospitality and visitor accommodation,” the Colliers pitch says.
“The potential to re-establish boutique bottling of a multi-award winning mineral water or utilise the unique geothermal aquifer located on-site is a significant point of difference,” it says.
The sites are for sale by deadline treaty, closing on May 25, unless sold prior.
