Two large former aged-care facilities in Christchurch offer developers a rare shot at reshaping close to 1.9ha of multi-titled land in Riccarton and Hornby.
Colliers Christchurch is marketing the properties at 23 Bartlett Street, Riccarton, and 29 Woodcote Avenue, Hornby, simultaneously.
Both are being sold with vacant possession. The properties can be purchased individually or as a complete holding.
“Each is effectively a stunning brownfields redevelopment opportunity,” says Colliers Christchurch Investment Sales Broker Marius Ogg.
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“Buyers will be looking to add value. That could involve splitting the sites up, repurposing the existing improvements, or a full redevelopment.”
Zoned High Density Residential, the Riccarton site spans approximately 8,221sq m across three freehold titles and around 46 cross-lease or unit title interests.
The Hornby site is 10,333sq m across six freehold titles and roughly 25 cross-lease interests. It is zoned predominantly Residential Medium Density with a small Residential Suburban component.
“The scale and title structure of both holdings is what sets them apart,” Colliers Christchurch Director of Investment Sales Courtney Doig says.
“You’ve got the benefit of already having all those titles in place, which means associated development credit benefit, depending upon end use. That’s not something that comes up very often, especially not with more than 40 titles on one of those sites.”
The flexibility built into both properties should appeal to a wide range of buyers.
“These sites provide real optionality – utilisation of the existing improvements in full or in part, or a partial or full redevelopment. That’s a rare combination in landholdings of this size.”
Doig says potential future uses range from student and worker accommodation through to community housing and residential redevelopment, subject to consent.
Both sites benefit from multiple street frontages: 29 Woodcote Avenue fronts Main South Road, Woodcote Avenue, and Camelia Place, while 23 Bartlett Street borders both Bartlett Street and Brockworth Place.
The Riccarton property is a block from Hagley Park’s numerous leisure activities and Christchurch Hospital, while being near Riccarton Mall and the University of Canterbury.
Colliers Christchurch General Manager Mark Macauley says the team is already fielding interest from developers, landbankers, and owner-occupiers due to the unique nature of the properties on offer but also as a result of the underlying appeal of investment in the Canterbury property market currently.
“Opportunities to secure landholdings of this scale, in such tightly held residential precincts, simply don’t come up very often,” Macauley says.
The regional economic momentum underpins the positive market sentiment, especially as it is outpacing other centres, he says.
ChristchurchNZ’s July monthly report shows Canterbury’s economy is experiencing clear resilience in mid-2026. Strong tourism growth, resumed export gains, sound labour market conditions, and improving business confidence and manufacturing activity all point to underlying strength.
Building consent activity also signalled a healthy construction pipeline and housing sales and prices held up better than the national picture, the development agency report says.
Both 23 Bartlett Street and 29 Woodcote Avenue are offered for sale by deadline private treaty closing at 4pm on Thursday 3 September, unless sold prior.
- Supplied by Colliers
