When he looks at his neighbourhood, former market gardener Colin Lee Sang, who bought a large block of land in this busy South Auckland suburb with wife Choy Leen Lee Sang in 1978, can barely believe the changes.
“These days there are so many more people and much more traffic.”
He says that along with other local families he and his wife grew tomatoes, beans and other vegetables in the rich volcanic soil – cultivating them inside huge greenhouses and selling much of their produce from a stall on the property. “You don’t see that around here any more.”
Over the years, other Otahuhu market gardeners sold up, in the face of intensification, but the Sangs held on to their sunny slice of paradise.
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Within three existing houses on the 5110sqm site in Princes Street and Frank Grey Place, there are 10 bedrooms in total, and family members still use them all.
Colin says that he and his wife are in their 80s, having retired around 18 years ago, and it feels like a good time to move on to the next stage of their lives.
“We have eight children, five sons and three daughters, so we want to buy houses for everyone, then of course they’ll look after us in our old age. Luckily, we’re still in good health!”
Aidan Fraei, the listing agent, says that this is a huge opportunity for a savvy developer to scoop up one of the last significant freehold land parcels in the Otahuhu area, where demand for housing is strong and consistent – particularly now that Sylvia Park with its heralded new arrival, the flagship Ikea store, is one of Auckland’s top shopping destinations, and access to main transport routes is right on the doorstep.
“I’ve come to know the family well – and I really want to see this over the line for them. They’re such lovely people, they’ve worked hard, and they deserve it.”
He explains the land is zoned Residential-Mixed Housing Suburban and while there is a fishhook, it is temporary.
Colin Lee Sang, a former market gardener, bought the large block of land with wife Choy Leen Lee Sang in 1978. Photo / Supplied
There are three existing houses with 10 bedrooms in total, and family members still use them all. Photo / Supplied
“Basically, there are plans to widen the Frank Grey Place motorway off-ramp – partly on land the family sold to Waka Kotahi previously, so 31 Frank Grey Place will be required for parking for construction vehicles when work begins. At this stage, council hasn’t given a date for that.”
He says plans are available for 43 townhouses, and resource consent has been granted for six large dwellings, so a developer could either keep everything as it is, renting the existing houses out and basically land-banking the site until the roadworks are finished – or they could proceed to develop it in stages.
Aidan is very happy to talk a prospective buyer through the current situation and expand on the options that are available. He points out that it’s a very convenient, flat, corner site and although there are seven titles, it will be sold as one property.
The family aren’t in a hurry, so settlement could be 24 months – maximum, or earlier by mutual agreement.
13, 15, 29, 31A Frank Grey Place; 142 Princes Street East; 1, 2, 3/144 Princes Street East in Otahuhu head to auction on June 10.
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