A new industrial business park or major agricultural production facility is among possibilities mooted for a large development site for sale in the Canterbury town of Leeston.

Newly zoned for industrial use, the more than 6.5 hectares of bare, flat land at the town’s northern entrance caters to unmet industrial demand within New Zealand’s fastest growing district of Selwyn.

Positioned 30 kilometres southwest of Christchurch, the site on Volckman Road has been tagged by Bayleys Canterbury as one of the most strategic industrial landholdings in a district fast emerging as a nationally significant hub of industry.

“With Selwyn’s industrial land rapidly absorbed and prices soaring, this block of land offers a once-in-a-generation prospect for developers and forward-thinking investors,” Bayleys salesperson Greg O’Brien said.

“Few sites remain in Selwyn with this scale, zoning, and development readiness. Its level, well-shaped contour allows efficient subdivision into smaller lots or seamless large-scale development for a major occupier,” he said.

The freehold landholding at 483 Volckman Road, Leeston, is being offered for sale through O’Brien of Bayleys Canterbury, via a deadline private treaty process closing on Thursday 30th October (unless sold prior).

O’Brien said the land would have a broad and compelling appeal for future users, large and small.

“In Leeston, smaller sites dominate, leaving large-scale operators little choice but to look to Rolleston or beyond.

“The Volckman Road property offers the scale for a substantial campus-style development for the likes of a large primary industry manufacturing plant, rural logistics operation, warehouse facility, trucking company base or large yard.

“At the other end of the spectrum, smaller subdivided lots or business park units would see keen demand from trades or other smaller business occupiers - reflecting that Leeston’s existing industrial zone is at capacity,” O’Brien said.

The activities mooted are supported by the land’s inclusion in the General Industrial zone under Selwyn District Council’s partially operative district plan.

“With supportive zoning in place, developers and occupiers have clarity over what’s possible. They can bypass years of uncertainty and delay, making this site shovel-ready – a decisive advantage in Canterbury’s tightening industrial land market.”

As of the 2023 census, Selwyn District was the country’s fastest-growing territorial authority, with its population surging by three-quarters in 10 years, to 78,000.

“This booming expansion provides a burgeoning local workforce, an expanding business catchment, and intensifying demand for commercial and industrial real estate. The district’s forward-looking strategic planning and investment in high-quality infrastructure ensures Selwyn is well placed to accommodate ongoing growth.

“As one of Selwyn’s three key industrial precincts, alongside Rolleston and Lincoln, Leeston supports the district’s industrial growth strategy and unlocks critical service and distribution capacity for the wider rural economy," O’Brien said.

Positioned at the northern gateway to Leeston, and less than 15 minutes from State Highway 1, the Volckman Road property plays a strategic role in connecting existing industrial zones to the south and north – forming a continuous industrial strip along Leeston’s south-western edge.

Around 500 metres of road frontage offers excellent exposure and site accessibility.

A proposed collector road with access via Station Street and Volckman Road would ensure safe, visible, and efficient vehicle movement, O’Brien said.