- Hamilton City Council purchased a 40,469sqm Brymer Road property for $2 million to expand Hamilton Zoo.
- The council plans to move Southern White Rhinos onto the property and improve access for commercial vehicles.
- The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on the property is to be rented out.
Hamilton City Council has shelled out $340,0000 over RV for a lifestyle property neighbouring Hamilton Zoo and is not ruling out buying other properties nearby.
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Hamilton City Council, which owns the zoo, confirmed it bought the 40,469sqm Brymer Road property, in Baverstock, Hamilton for $2m this week.
The property, which has a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a large area of undeveloped grass, backs onto Hamilton Zoo's planned Rhino Management Facility. The zoo will also move some of its Southern White Rhinos onto the property.
Some of Hamilton's southern rhinos will move onto the property. Photo / File
The council made an offer on the property, which has an RV of $1.66m, as part of a tender process run by Bayleys in December and the property settled last week. The purchase price is $2m including GST of $170,000 of GST, which the council plans to claim back.
Hamilton City Council chief executive Lance Vervoort declined an interview with OneRoof, but in a written statement said it was the first time the property has been available in more than three decades and the council didn’t want to miss out on the "strategic purchase".
“Property is rarely more affordable than it is now and we might not have this opportunity again for a long time, if ever.”
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The Brymer Road property borders a part of the zoo, which the council said had previously been tricky to access. Vervoort estimated having easier commercial vehicle access for deliveries and transport, maintenance of trees in previously hard-to-access locations would save ratepayers about $900,000 a year.
“Not only is that more efficient, but it’s also better for the welfare of our animals and our visitor’s experience."
Vervoort said, in a written response to questions from OneRoof, that the council was already using some sheds and land on the property, and was in the process of getting the main property ready to rent out.
Council staff are already using some of the sheds on the property. Photo / File
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is being fenced off and will be rented out in the short-term. Photo / File
The $2m purchase was funded through the council’s Strategic Land Fund, which had money available after selling 8470sqm of land opposite Korikori Park and Te Kete Aronui Library Rototuna for $5.15m to a residential developer in February last year.
Vervoort said more land might be needed to support the zoo’s future expansion plans. A wider map of the property shows there is still one privately owned property separating the main zoo and the newly purchased lifestyle block on Brymer Road.
“If the right opportunity arises, it would be carefully assessed against need, affordability and alignment with the Hamilton Zoo’s master plan before being taken to council for a decision.”
The council voted in December unanimously to purchase the Brymer Road land.
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