On 6 June 2023 RCP NZ, joined client IKEA in marking the commencement of construction of the first IKEA store in New Zealand with a groundbreaking ceremony, site blessing followed by a Fika traditional Swedish Fika.
RCP was initially engaged to provide property and infrastructure due diligence advice and associated reporting to IKEA to inform decision-making on their entry into the New Zealand market. This included a comprehensive assessment of potential site locations, analysing risk, constraints, and opportunities.
Following site acquisition at Auckland’s Sylvia Park, RCP provided local project management and coordination to support the complex resource consent application to enable the development. This included managing the key design inputs and stakeholder engagements and coordinating with partners Kiwi Property Group.
Consent for the three-level, large format, 34,000m2 store comprising warehousing, retail, and a food and beverage offering was uplifted in March 2023, with the commencement of the site works in June 2023.
RCP is continuing to manage critical aspects of the design development process and is facilitating relationships with mana whenua to develop and implement a cultural narrative to inform the public realm and landscape design. IKEA’s first New Zealand Store aims to open in late 2025.
You can find out more about the project here: https://www.ikea.com/nz/en/this-is-ikea/newsroom/
Image credit: IKEA