A retail and commercial development worth up to $25 million is planned for Washdyke, on Timaru's northern outskirts, ranging from cafe-size premises to 6800sq m bulk retail operations.
Privately owned syndicate Hilton Nominees Ltd, made up mainly of South Canterbury shareholders, had launched the Hilton 209 project to gauge business interest, and hoped to begin construction by 2015, Hilton chairman Ken Buckingham said when contacted.
''We'll see what response we get and what tenants require. We can build what they want,'' he said.
Depending on interest, the entire project could cost between $20 million and $25 million and if the building's space was fully subscribed construction would take place over 2015-17, he said.
The proposed 27 new premises are spread over 13,400sq m of retail outlets and offices, over a 3ha site, with units ranging in size from 75sq m through to 6800sq m for large bulk retail operators. The site has parking for 450 vehicles.
Bayleys Canterbury is marketing the proposal and salesman Harry Van Tongeren said the Hilton 209 precinct would ''dramatically alter how residents in the city shopped and worked''.
The zones within the Hilton 209 site had been defined into complementary sections, covering bulk retail, small and medium-sized retail, food and beverage and offices on two levels.
''Tenancies targeted for the precinct feature most of the big-name chains in New Zealand,'' Mr Van Tongeren said in a statement.
To a core of retail food and beverage outlets, social amenities could be ''bolted on'' - such as medical centres, pharmacies, gyms, and video stores - while commercial spaces would target agri-businesses and their rural clientele from wider South Canterbury, Mr Van Tongeren said.
Hilton annual ground rents start from $165 per sq m to $250 per sq m, with annual operational expenditure allocated on a pro rata basis.
