At a glance

313

4000+ tonnes of concrete piles under the floor tonnes of structural timber

7.5km of insulation panels in the roof and walls

894 fire sprinklers

22,000

More than 100 plus alitre rain water tank for garden centre was so great to be given that chance. He was a regular visitor on site and quite inspirational.”

Wearing his One Mahurangi co-chair hat, Morrison says he understands retailers in the town centre being apprehensive about the new stores coming to town.

“But the reality is that the district is growing and the existing town centre won’t be able to meet all the retail needs of that growth. It is better to grow retail in a controlled fashion, in a central area like a shopping centre, than see it happen willy-nilly.

“There are a lot of challenges with retail in Warkworth, both in the town centre and at The Grange, particularly around opening hours and Sunday trading.”

Kowhai Falls construction manager Hamish Dobbyn says he is sincerely grateful for the opportunity that the Inger family has given the Dobbyn Builders team to undertake a significant project of this scale, from start to finish, in their own backyard.

Not seeing red

One of the most striking features of the new Warehouse store in Warkworth is that it’s not red. The muted grey and black façade was one of the conditions of Auckland Council’s resource consent, in the same way that the neighbouring Mitre 10 store was limited in how much orange paint it could use on its building.

Good neighbours

During the 12-month build, Dobbyn Builders has liaised regularly with the residents of the neighbouring retirement village Summerset Falls. “We wanted to keep them abreast of what was happening, and we sought their feedback on what they wanted to see included in the complex,” project manager Bevan Morrison says.

“The top two requests were for an ATM machine and roast dinners,” As a result of the residents’ feedback, two ATM machines will be part of the final complex, parking has been set aside for mobility scooters and a request for a shuttle bus is being considered, although a proposed ondemand service from Auckland Transport might negate the need for that. Delivering the roast dinners is still in the planning stages!

Firth Concrete now uses ECOMIX cement produced by GBC for all local production

Tech solutions on tap

The new Noel Leeming store, at 950sqm, is three times the size of the former site in Warkworth.

Manager Steve Venter says this means customers can look forward to a wider range of products, and he is particularly excited to be introducing a built-in cooking centre and a tech solutions hub.

The cooking centre features a fully functioning kitchen that showcases a variety of leading appliance brands.

“They are a great way for customers to see a range of appliances in action, from ovens and air fryers to breadmakers and fridges, and try out different features and designs,” Venter says.

Staff will be on hand to demonstrate products and offer advice on the best options to suit any cooking style. And he hasn’t ruled out cooking demonstrations in future.

The tech centre will have dedicated staff on the desk to help with everything from setting up a device to data transfer for phones, computers and other electronic devices. Charges will apply, depending on the level of service required.

“We used to get a lot of requests for assistance at the old store, so this is meeting that demand,” Venter says.

“This modern new store will mean we will be able to serve the community so much better than we could in the past.”

The store will employ 17 staff, five more than the town centre store.

It will also offer an e-waste service for old devices including computers, monitors, printers, copiers, phones and cameras.

“We ask people to make sure, if possible, that their data is saved and erased before bringing the device in. The disposal is 100 per cent secure and there is no charge for dropping items in so they can be safely destroyed.”

What’s next at The Falls?

The second stage of the Kowhai Falls Retail Centre will include seven retail stores, with a combined floor space of just under 5000sqm.

Preparations for submitting a building consent to Auckland Council are underway and the plan is to have the retail spaces open within the next 18 months.

The building, known as Building B, will also be a low energy building and will be built with the same NZ timber structure and Metalcraft insulated panels used for The Warehouse.

Negotiations have started with a number of high-profile national and international retailers interested in setting up in Warkworth.

When Building B is finished, the third building will include a café and restaurant complex, across the carpark from the retail stores. This is likely to be delivered around 2025.

Developer Glen Inger has shown interest in a rustic open-plan restaurant, perhaps in conjunction with a local brewery. The idea is to have a shared kitchen between the café and restaurant, so meals can be served across the day from breakfast to dinner including the highly-requested roast dinners.

The building will also accommodate public toilets and some smaller 100 to 200 sqm tenancies for businesses such as florists, hairdressers and opticians.

The fourth and final build will accommodate a 2500sqm Crackerjack store, described as the “bargain hunter’s best friend”.

Concerns that the pressure from council water mains may not be enough in future, so a 455,000 litre water tank has been installed to service the 894 fire sprinklers in the building. If the sprinklers were all turned on at once, the 250 kilowatt diesel pump would empty the tank in an hour.