March 19, 2026
Ashburton councillors have rejected a push to boost the marketing of business estate land, despite concerns that slow uptake after 15 years is hurting council revenue.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron is concerned with low section sales at the Ashburton Business Estate and the resulting impact on the council’s budgets.
She put forward a motion to investigate forecast sales and likely revenue projections, and to explore marketing strategies to increase sales.
Her motion lost on a 6-4 vote on Wednesday.
The council’s 80 hectares of vacant commercial and industrial land for development on the northern end of town, opened in 2011 and still has around 43-hectares unsold.
Cameron said the sustainability of the district depends on the management of its strategic assets.
“This land represents an asset, which, if managed effectively, can mitigate our region’s growth or indeed fund key infrastructure projects.”
Council property manager Renee Julius said the existing sales strategy has the available properties listed with multiple property agents, both locally and across the country.
“With commercial property, there is no one agent that's going to have relationships with every single business,” Julius said.
“These sections are probably a little different to your residential properties, where a marketing campaign might make a massive difference in the ability to sell.
“The businesses that are going out there are either setting up or they're expanding, so they're quite substantial in the expenditure.”
Listing the sections with multiple agencies was casting the net nationwide, but many of the recent sales “have actually come to council directly”.
Cameron’s motion only had support from Councillors Phill Hooper, Tony Todd, and deputy mayor Richard Wilson.
Councillor Phill Hooper, who has worked in real estate, believed it was “time to give the experts a crack”.
“I've talked to a prominent local real estate salesperson who would be very interested in having a go out there.”
“The general agency, speaking from experience when I was selling real estate, is that you don't give it anywhere near the energy you do as a sole listing.”
“I think it's time to let the experts do their job.”
Councillor Tony Todd suggested the council’s agencies have been “doing the same thing for quite some time now” and could be timely for a refresh.
The majority favoured no change.
Councillor Deb Gilkison believes the council strategy “so far is the right one, and it works with the right people, and long term, I think, it's the right option”.
Gilkison was cautious of relying on forecast revenue from sales to offset rates “because if it didn't come off, then we'd end up in a worse position”.
Councillor Julie Moffett suggested the motion was an “overly simplistic way of looking at it”.
“That it's like selling your family home.
“You can only push it to a certain extent. You're not going to convince someone to suddenly buy that type of land.”
By Jonathan Leask
Ashburton councillors have rejected a push to boost the marketing of business estate land, despite concerns that slow uptake after 15 years is hurting council revenue.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron is concerned with low section sales at the Ashburton Business Estate and the resulting impact on the council’s budgets.
She put forward a motion to investigate forecast sales and likely revenue projections, and to explore marketing strategies to increase sales.
Her motion lost on a 6-4 vote on Wednesday.
The council’s 80 hectares of vacant commercial and industrial land for development on the northern end of town, opened in 2011 and still has around 43-hectares unsold.
Cameron said the sustainability of the district depends on the management of its strategic assets.
“This land represents an asset, which, if managed effectively, can mitigate our region’s growth or indeed fund key infrastructure projects.”
Council property manager Renee Julius said the existing sales strategy has the available properties listed with multiple property agents, both locally and across the country.
“With commercial property, there is no one agent that's going to have relationships with every single business,” Julius said.
“These sections are probably a little different to your residential properties, where a marketing campaign might make a massive difference in the ability to sell.
“The businesses that are going out there are either setting up or they're expanding, so they're quite substantial in the expenditure.”
Listing the sections with multiple agencies was casting the net nationwide, but many of the recent sales “have actually come to council directly”.
Cameron’s motion only had support from Councillors Phill Hooper, Tony Todd, and deputy mayor Richard Wilson.
Councillor Phill Hooper, who has worked in real estate, believed it was “time to give the experts a crack”.
“I've talked to a prominent local real estate salesperson who would be very interested in having a go out there.”
“The general agency, speaking from experience when I was selling real estate, is that you don't give it anywhere near the energy you do as a sole listing.”
“I think it's time to let the experts do their job.”
Councillor Tony Todd suggested the council’s agencies have been “doing the same thing for quite some time now” and could be timely for a refresh.
The majority favoured no change.
Councillor Deb Gilkison believes the council strategy “so far is the right one, and it works with the right people, and long term, I think, it's the right option”.
Gilkison was cautious of relying on forecast revenue from sales to offset rates “because if it didn't come off, then we'd end up in a worse position”.
Councillor Julie Moffett suggested the motion was an “overly simplistic way of looking at it”.
“That it's like selling your family home.
“You can only push it to a certain extent. You're not going to convince someone to suddenly buy that type of land.”
By Jonathan Leask
