4 July
Turning of the Sod Marks Start of Woolworths Supermarket Build in Flaxmere
A significant milestone was celebrated in Flaxmere this morning as representatives from TW Property, Hastings District Council, mana whenua and the local community gathered for a Karakia Whakawātea (Turning of the Sod) ceremony, to mark the beginning of construction for the new Woolworths supermarket.
Mauri stones were brought to the ceremony by local tangata whenua, led by kaumātua Cordry Huata. They came from the waterways of Te Popo o Tamatea, Ngaruroro, Paritua, Kārewarewa & Te Awa o Te Atua. Gravel was also brought from sacred pā sites at Kakirawa and Timuwhenua, and both the gravel and stones were scattered into the land where the foundation of the supermarket will soon be laid.
This event follows last week’s blessing of the land and signals the start of the development that will bring a long-awaited supermarket to Flaxmere, as well as enhanced retail offerings and local job opportunities.
TW Property has now settled the land and taken ownership from Hastings District Council, with the first stage of development set to begin shortly.
Terry May, CEO of TW Property, says that the earthworks and foundation preparation will be underway within the next week.
“With resource consent granted, as well as the first stage of building consent, we are pleased to be making significant in-roads into delivering this much-needed amenity to the community.
“The agreement to lease with Woolworths has also gone unconditional which means that we can proceed with full confidence and look to have the supermarket completed by mid-2026.”
Matthew Grainger, Woolworths New Zealand’s Director of Property says Woolworths is looking forward to bringing a state-of-the-art supermarket to the local community.
“We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to better serve New Zealanders across the country and we’re pleased to bring more choice to Flaxmere,”.
The new 3460m² full-service supermarket is located at the rear of the Flaxmere shopping precinct, bordered by Swansea Road, Caernarvon Drive, Pam O’Keefe Avenue, and Te Ara Moeke. Plans also include a separate retail space and customer car parks.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it is very exciting to have reached this point after many years working to bring a beautiful full-size supermarket to Flaxmere.
“Our Flaxmere community has been calling for this for a long time. With the population set to grow significantly in Flaxmere with all the new housing being built, it will be really appreciated. We are thrilled for our Flaxmere community.”
The Woolworths supermarket marks the beginning of several big development projects in Flaxmere by TW Property. This includes the re-development of the town centre, as well as the delivery of new housing developments that will meet the growing demand for senior living and affordable homes within the community