Wānaka’s original mall is eyed up regularly by developers, but there are no current plans for it to be redeveloped, two landlords say.

However some business owners within the town centre mall have told the Wānaka App the long standing rumours of redevelopment on the increasingly valuable site are causing uncertainty.

Pembroke Mall, which runs from Dunmore Street to Ardmore Street, includes a range of businesses owned by different landlords. They are unit titled properties, where owners own a defined part of a building and share common areas with other owners, managed via body corporates.

Kevin Jackson of Cromwell owns some Ardmore Street buildings (including the Doughbin) and said he is regularly approached by developers keen to buy and redevelop the mall, but there are no plans in place.

“It’s just a rumour,” he said. “There’s been people knocking on the door from all directions wanting to buy or develop. I have no intentions of doing it; I've been opposing it for a number of years.”

Southland based landlord Pip Ryan told the Wānaka App there were “definitely” no plans for redevelopment of Pembroke Mall.

Landlord Pip Ryan says there are “definitely” no plans for development. PHOTO: Supplied

“We’ve just painted it,” he said. “We wouldn’t paint them up and then put a bulldozer through it.”

Kevin said it would be a shame to demolish the original “cottage style buildings” on the lakeside, but he “wouldn’t be opposed to an indoor mall being developed in the back part of the mall”.

The issue is complicated by the number of landlords involved, he said.

“Sometimes money talks, but it depends who you’re talking to,” he said. “I know some of the landlords have put demolition clauses in their leases.”

A demolition clause in one of the mall leases states that the tenant can be told they must up and leave with just three months’ notice, and no entitlement to any compensation.

Wānaka lawyer Janice Hughes told the Wānaka App that redevelopment/demolition clauses are “pretty common” on commercial premises nearing the end of their useful life, including some in downtown Wanaka.

“The clauses make it really difficult for tenants to have confidence that they will be able to stay in their location long term, and clauses like that also can affect a tenant's ability to sell a business, unless it can be relocated easily to premises without a redevelopment/demolition clause in it.”

The Wānaka App spoke to various business owners with tenancies in Pembroke Mall who said the threat of redevelopment and uncertainty about whether leases would be renewed was stressful. One blamed “terrible” communication from landlords for the uncertainty.

Another business owner felt his only option was to move out of the mall.

MT Outdoors owner Steve Hart told the Wānaka App that he asked his landlord, Pip Ryan, if his lease would be renewed after 2027, and was told a firm “no”.

“I had no alternative to look for another venue,” he said. Steve has since opened a second MT Outdoors store at Three Parks.

”I didn’t want to do this. I feel quite sad about the whole thing. I’ve been there 14 years. Basically I’ve been kicked in the guts.”

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