Port Nikau Residential

Formerly home to the Whangārei city port, Port Nikau represents 100 hectares of freehold development in the heart of Whangārei, Northland, New Zealand. With over four kilometres of coastline, access to deep water and close proximity to arterial routes, amenities and facilities, Port Nikau is uniquely positioned out into the Whangārei Harbour to create genuine waterfront living and harbourside opportunities. Click here for a map of the area.

Port Nikau is in central Whangārei, with primary, intermediate, secondary and tertiary institutions all within 5 kilometres. It’s just 9 kilometres to Whangārei Airport and 5 kilometres to Whangārei Hospital. The nearest supermarket and shopping centre is less than 3 kilometres away.

Yes. Port Nikau is less than 5 kilometres off State Highway 1 and less than 4 kilometres to Whangārei’s CBD. It’s just 9 kilometres by road from Whangārei Airport and can also easily be accessed by boat, with deep water marine facilities available.

Yes, it’s an easy flat ride into Whangārei city, taking 10 to 15 minutes. The Port Road bridge has recently been upgraded to allow a bike path to the central city, making the journey safer and easier. Port Road connects to the Town Basin, Hatea Loop and a shared cycleway to the Waimahanga Track and Onerahi.

Seeking inspiration from around the world, Port Nikau has designed a Masterplan for the development that will include quality residential precincts, a village centre, entertainment and recreational areas, and business and commercial precincts, all guided by the Urban Design Protocol to create a quality urban design. 

Port Nikau will support our region’s economic development by meeting community demand for high quality social urban living; inner-city green spaces; community facilities for walking and cycling; retirement residences; and retail and commercial activity. 

The development will also include a marine precinct which will offer three piers and a boat ramp dedicated to recreational vessels.

The PNDA Masterplan includes a boutique town centre that will provide residents with everyday conveniences such as groceries, health and wellness, and personal services.

Yes, much of the Whangārei CBD and lower Port Road area is built on land reclaimed by the Harbour Board in the 1960s. The land has had over 60 years to settle and consolidate. All buildings and developments are preceded by in-depth engineering investigations and solutions to ensure appropriate ground conditions – and council engineering standards – can be met for the planned residential and/or commercial investments.

Port Nikau subdivisions are designed according to the latest climate change and flood management recommendations from the Northland Regional Council and Whangārei District Council. Recommendations meet engineering best practice standards and are designed to allow for a 100-year sea level rise event.

The Port Nikau Development Area (PNDA) is a bespoke zone in the Whangārei District Plan, a ‘Development Area’ as defined by the National Planning Standards. 

The PNDA is a fully developed urban waterfront environment, designed for 1,200 homes plus retail, commercial and public open spaces. The plans set out the street, pedestrian and open space networks and include building layouts and typologies.

The PNDA includes a small retail and commercial area designed to provide basic amenities to the local community. Development in accordance with the PNDA plans is a permitted activity (no consent required), except for subdivision which is a controlled activity. 

The permitted activity status for compliance with the PNDA plans provides certainty for developers, while variations from the plans can still be achieved through the resource consent process.

Large-scale development is planned for Port Nikau in the next five to ten years. In late 2021 the Master Plan for Port Nikau was finalised, highlighting the key development stages and a detailed breakdown of the features of the 100-hectare development.

Construction for Stage 1A Residential Sections started in September 2022, and Stage 1B Residential Sections and Waterfront Apartments in 2024-25.

There will be options from standalone housing, terraced houses and apartments to choose from.

The waterfront apartments at Port Nikau will enjoy a prime location, overlooking the stunning Whangārei Harbour and superyacht marina at Eastpoint Road, within easy walking distance of the Port Nikau town centre and everyday amenities.

The first waterfront development is at the concept stage, providing 18 apartments being designed and developed, with construction planned for 2024 at the earliest. 

We encourage those interested to register to keep updated on their progress.

• Walking and cycle tracks (these are constantly being extended)
• Marinas (for recreational, commercial and superyachts), including full marina facilities
• Boat ramp
• Storage units