Porter Group releases major retail development strategy

Queenstown’s largest developer Porter Group Limited, developer of Remarkables Park and Shotover Park, has released a major retail development strategy for the expansion of their existing developments to service Queenstown and the Central Otago region.

The success of Remarkables Park Town Centre in its 10th year, attracting some 2.3 million people annually, is widely attributed to its unique design, beautiful landscaping and its setting in one of New Zealand’s most outstanding natural environments.

Alastair Porter, co-managing Director of Porter Group, said it was great to see the centre continuing to grow right through the recession.

“Our strategy is to bring even more people to the centre, in particular by giving locals a lot more variety, more food and beverage options, and capitalizing on our visitor appeal.

“We have outstanding close proximity views of The Remarkables mountains and when fully developed, Remarkables Park will reach from an extended airport terminal on the other side of the road from the existing Town Centre, all the way to its boutique retail adjacent to future visitor apartments, hotels and jet ferry terminal on the Kawarau River.

“To maintain that quality and not to confuse our retail message, we’re planning to relocate and develop all our discount, DIY and trade retail in our Shotover Park precinct.”

The next stage of development for Shotover Park will extend from Placemakers to the new Eastern Access Road and provide a mix of a large format precinct and more business use lots.

“As part of that precinct, in conjunction with Foodstuffs South Island Ltd, we’re announcing that a resource consent has been lodged for 6000m2 of development for a PAK’nSAVE discount supermarket and fuel station.

“We accept the location, between the State Highway, industrial, future affordable housing, and Queenstown Airport, will never have natural tourist appeal, but can provide a very useful business and service centre for Queenstown and Central Otago communities

“Furthermore, Shotover Park will be only a three minute drive to the much more extensive shopping at Remarkables Park,” he said.

Roger Davidson, General Manager Property Foodstuffs South Island, said growth in the region had been exceptional in the past five to ten years.

“With lower grocery prices, PAK’nSAVE at Shotover Park will have a positive impact by retaining more shopping trips and retail spending within the district, and deliver other benefits such as increased employment,” he said.

“There’s strong demand from the local community for a discount grocery offering, and the development of a PAK’nSAVE has been eagerly anticipated.”

Mr Davidson said the New World at Remarkables Park would continue to be the premium full-service supermarket in the Wakatipu region.

“The supermarket will be modernized, equipment upgraded and the already extensive range will be expanded further. The New World offer at Remarkables Park will be the envy of other towns.

“It will remain one of the cornerstone retail outlets serving the community in the unique and popular setting of Remarkables Park, the main regional retail centre for the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago region.”

The Porter Group diversified retail strategy will include store changes at Remarkables Park in addition to Foodstuffs’ revamping New World.

“With Mitre10 in Remarkables Park now too small to cater for their trade-based business, they too are currently evaluating an option to relocate and build a new Mega Mitre 10 store alongside PAK’nSAVE at Shotover Park,” said Mr Porter.

Mr Porter said the existing 43 retailers, services and offices at Remarkables Park (27,000m2) was already attracting some 2.3 million people per annum. This is planned to expand to approximately 60,000m2, with building plans for resource consents for a further seven stores adding a total of 14,000m2 currently in progress.

“All our planning at Remarkables Park has been designed and staged to complement the downtown CBD. We are confident that the planned jet ferry service will further reinforce the connection between Queenstown’s two major retail centres,” said Mr Porter.

“Even this week, the community was no doubt delighted to see Whitcoulls and Mooch, a gifts and homeware store, opening in the Remarkables Park Town Centre.”

Mr Porter said that in addition to the retail expansion within the Remarkables Park Zone, planning for many projects was in progress, including its recently announced local produce and craft market.

Other projects in the pipeline include high density residential, health, retirement, childcare, schools, a recreational and sports complex, cinemas, resort hotels, conference and cultural facilities, and a jet ferry terminal on the Kawarau River.

In addition, areas of major residential expansion in Queenstown were at Remarkables Park and nearby Kelvin Heights and Jacks Point. The very substantial visitor accommodation at nearby Kawarau Falls Station, expected to open by mid 2011, is also within close walking distance of, and will be only a short ferry ride to, Remarkables Park.

Mr Porter said more detailed information relating to the company’s retail strategy and key findings from recent retail research would be available on the Remarkables Park website www.remarkablespark.com.