A former horticultural area on the outskirts of Christchurch is being transformed into a major industrial and logistics hub, with Calder Stewart leading the development of Hornby Quadrant—a $3 billion project spanning over 150 hectares. Located approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Christchurch’s city center, the precinct has been under phased development for two decades, with stages one through three already in operation and stages four and five currently underway.
Once home to apple orchards and vegetable farms, including the Kain brothers’ Apple Fields and land previously owned by Heinz Wattie’s, the site has been consolidated into a large-format warehousing and industrial zone. The project now supports multiple large companies across a range of sectors, including pulp and paper, manufacturing, dairy, and consumer goods.
Current occupants include Oji Fibre Solutions, which operates a 32,000-square-meter facility for pulp, paper, and packaging products, and Lactalis-Mainland Dairy, which opened an 8,800-square-meter dairy hub in April. Other tenants and owners include Sleepyhead with an 11,000-square-meter manufacturing and warehousing facility, Fletcher Comfortech’s 10,000-square-meter plant producing insulation and acoustic products, Fisher & Paykel Appliances occupying 6,500 square meters, and My Food Bag with a 4,500-square-meter distribution site.
Ben Stewart of Calder Stewart noted that the land, which currently includes a 30-hectare section designated for heavy industrial use and a further 50 hectares reserved for future development, has shifted in purpose from agriculture to storage and distribution. The warehouses store a wide variety of goods, ranging from clothing for brands like Glassons to dairy products including milk powder, cheese, and butter.
Stewart highlighted the strategic location of the precinct at the crossroads of key regional transport routes, just off State Highway 1. This positioning addresses concerns among major businesses about supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly those related to the North-South Island road connections and Cook Strait crossings. He observed that, following the Christchurch earthquakes, some companies moved warehousing south due to perceived risks elsewhere, reinforcing Hornby’s appeal as a logistics hub.
Calder Stewart owns or manages many of the properties in Hornby Quadrant, either leasing or selling to tenants. The Oji Fibre Solutions warehouse, valued at over $100 million, was completed within a year in 2022. Other developments include a recently completed $30 million Lactalis facility and facilities for various manufacturing and food companies. The precinct is described by Stewart as the largest privately developed logistics site in the South Island.
The growth of Hornby Quadrant comes amid competition from other industrial parks in the Christchurch area, including the $500 million IPORT business park developed by the Carter Group, the Airport Business Park near Christchurch Airport, and Waterloo Business Park near Templeton.
Mark Weaver, project director at Calder Stewart, noted that some new “spec” warehouse and office buildings in the precinct can command leases around $400,000 annually, reflecting strong demand. Plans are underway for additional developments, including a 20,000-square-meter warehouse for a major food company and a new fuel station with food outlets on Shands Road. Negotiations for these projects are reportedly ongoing as the precinct continues its rapid expansion.