Ravenswood, the new 1300 section residential community in the heart of North Canterbury, has announced the inclusion of several major retailers as anchor tenants for its new commercial centre. A New World supermarket, a BP Connect service station with Wild Bean Cafe and a McDonald’s restaurant will be just some of the recognised national brands becoming part of the new development, with further announcements also expected in the coming weeks.
Around 15 hectares at Ravenswood is proposed for commercial and business activity, offering a wide range of options for the fast-growing local community, including cafés and hospitality businesses, a medical centre, childcare, banking services and a range of other retail.
Ravenswood Developments Limited general manager Paul Croft says the commitment of some of the country’s leading retailers highlights the potential for growth and demand in the region.
“It was very important for this new stage of Ravenswood that we underscore the strength of the development by focusing on building the commercial centre alongside our first residential stage,” says Paul Croft. “This will have an enormously positive effect on the local area, delivering not just greater convenience for the growing local population but also providing more opportunities for residents to work close to home.”
BP Asset Manager Marcus Manning says as North Canterbury continues to grow, so too does demand for higher quality and more varied retail offerings. “We will be using local tradespeople to build our new BP Connect store and we intend on employing up to 20 North Cantabrians to look after our valued new customers in Ravenswood.”
New World General Manager, Property and Retail Development Roger Davidson says, “New World is the cornerstone of many communities and will be a great asset to the people of North Canterbury. New World is very excited to be involved in this new and vibrant community.”
The Ravenswood/Woodend/Pegasus area is one of the fastest-growing parts of the Waimakariri District, with the population expected to rise to 10,000 residents – part of a wider district population expected to grow by 50 per cent to reach 76,000 in 15 years.
With up to 150 new jobs generated by the major anchor tenants alone, Ravenswood’s new commercial centre is expected to create employment for between 600 and 800 local people – well over double the current 500 employed in the area.
“According to recent research by the Waimakariri District Council, over three quarters of the local community who currently travel to Christchurch for work would prefer to have a job in North Canterbury,” says Paul Croft.
Croft says Ravenswood also offers a unique opportunity for a variety of business and commercial investment, with options to lease new buildings and purchase commercial sections ranging from 700m2 to over 4,000m2 for development.
“Our confidence in the development is also shared by our first-tier funders, with a major New Zealand trading bank funding the project.”
Alongside the commercial precinct, Ravenswood offers a wide range of residential sections. As well as the commercial centre, Ravenswood features a variety of community amenities, including biking trails, streamside walks, and neighbourhood parks. In addition, a neighbouring golf course is one minute away and the beach in Pegasus Bay is just a five-minute drive. Ravenswood is located adjacent to State Highway 1, immediately north of the town of Woodend in North Canterbury.
