Meat works site on the market

An aerial view of the former Smithfield meat works site, which is now on the market. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
An aerial view of the former Smithfield meat works site, which is now on the market. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
It has sea views, room for a pony and even its own World War 2 observation bunker.

The former Smithfield meat processing site is on the market following the 139-year-old Timaru plant’s closure last year, affecting about 600 jobs.

The 32.4ha site, which is next to the new bulk-retail showgrounds development, is being marketed by Colliers by a deadline private treaty. Timaru District Council records last year showed the site had a capital value of more than $36million and a land value of $3.2m.

The marketing blurb said the site presented a "multitude of options" for developers and occupiers alike. The industrial and rural land holding was a prime redevelopment opportunity, it said.

It had functional cold storage improvements, significant service infrastructure, a "huge" power supply and it was close to PrimePort. Alliance Group had largely decommissioned the operation and it was "must-sell".

In November, the co-operative posted a full-year after-tax loss of $95.8m, saying the figure included one-off costs of $48.2m, which included costs associated with the closure of Smithfield. It was forecasting a return to profitability in the current financial year.

sally.rae@odt.co.nz