Costco eyes Christchurch site near the airport for its first South Island store
Costco appears to be eyeing a large-scale development near Christchurch Airport, 1News reports, and the Government's fast-track website describes the project as Costco's first South Island wholesale warehouse. Stats NZ's 2023 Census counted 18,711 people of Filipino ethnicity in the Canterbury Region.
US retailer Costco appears to be eyeing a large-scale development in Christchurch, 1News reported on 14 October, with the Christchurch City Council asked to give feedback on a Costco fast-track application. The development would reportedly be on land between Memorial Ave and Avonhead Rd, near the airport. Costco declined to comment to 1News.
The Government's fast-track website now has a Costco Christchurch project page. It describes the project as Costco's first South Island wholesale warehouse, on a 17.68-hectare site in Avonhead bounded by Memorial Avenue, Avonhead Road and Russley Road (State Highway 1). The plans include a warehouse store with a tyre centre, food court and retail area of about 16,090 square metres, a members' fuel facility, and about 7,900 square metres of complementary large-format retail.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger told 1News a Costco would be "greatly received" by the city, and said there would need to be some "serious traffic lights or traffic management". Costco opened its first New Zealand store in Auckland in 2022, and a second store is planned for Drury, south of Auckland.
Stats NZ's 2023 Census counted 108,297 people of Filipino ethnicity in New Zealand, up from 72,612 in 2018. The Canterbury Region was home to 18,711 of them, or 17.3%, the largest share of any region outside Auckland. Stats NZ figures published by Figure.NZ put the Filipino population of the Christchurch territorial authority area at 13,200. Added together, Stats NZ's 2023 counts for the seven South Island regions come to 27,165, a Kislap tally of figures that are randomly rounded.
Kislap's Christchurch location page lists 259 Filipino-owned businesses and businesses with a strong Filipino presence in the city. The categories with the most listings are Property, Homes and Construction (62), Groceries and Retail (44) and Creative, Events and Entertainment (27).
Key facts
- The Government's fast-track website describes the Costco Christchurch project as Costco's first South Island wholesale warehouse, on a 17.68-hectare site in Avonhead.
- The planned warehouse store, with a tyre centre, food court and retail area, would have a gross floor area of about 16,090 square metres.
- Stats NZ's 2023 Census counted 18,711 people of Filipino ethnicity in the Canterbury Region, 17.3% of the Filipino population in New Zealand.
- Kislap lists 259 Filipino-owned businesses and businesses with a strong Filipino presence in Christchurch.
Official sources
Kislap reports this story for general information only. Nothing here is immigration, legal, financial, tax, medical, employment, or other professional advice; check official sources and speak with a qualified professional before acting.