“The carpark has been designed with separate entry and exit to the existing SH2 to manage vehicle flow, and with a secondary site entry and exit off Te Paeroa Rd.”
Thomas said Classic Developments bought the land in 2021. Master planning, design and consenting for the business park had been ongoing since 2023.
Earthworks and civil works would start in early 2027, with buildings expected to be completed for tenants in early to mid 2028.
Delivery of the initial buildings was planned to be co-ordinated with the completion of the Takitimu North Link, he said.
Classic Group director Peter Cooney said Bethlehem was a prime location.
Its amenities, retail and hospitality offerings made it attractive.
Many businesses now operated on the fringe of cities.
“Tauranga’s grown quite substantially. A lot of people prefer to have their offices in an area where it’s not so much a destination point; it’s more of a lifestyle.”
Cooney said tenants could include, for example, medical-related businesses or real estate offices.
Bethlehem ward councillor Kevin Schuler welcomed the development.
“I think there will be a lot of interest there. Not everyone wants to be in the city centre, and if you look at the broader western Bay and Bethlehem, it’s well-placed for another commercial offering.”
He said Bethlehem had an established population, but there was potential for amalgamation and growth towards Ōmokoroa.
“The [Wairoa] river is the border, but there’s no barrier. We all really share this community, and so I think it’s a good spot.”
Classic Developments bought the land in 2021 and has been planning the development since 2023.
Schuler believed the development could attract a broad range of industries.
Sports fields had been considered for the council-owned 22ha Parau Farms – Pōteriwhi – site off SH2 nearby.
With Aspire Health and Sports across the road, Schuler said there could be demand for a high-performance offering or physio at the business park.
“There’s a range of shop size opportunities there.
“We’ve got a great shopping centre, and we’re seeing development on both sides of the state highway and a range of commercial options.”
Bethlehem Floral Studio has operated opposite the site for more than 20 years.
Vicky Ferguson, who has owned the florist for six years, said the development could bring her business more customers.
The busy State Highway 2 ran through Bethlehem, which she said was “mayhem” at peak hours.
But she was not concerned about the business park’s potential impact on traffic.
“I always get out of my parks easy enough, back out and wait for the traffic.”
She said many nearby retirement villages had residents who walked to Bethlehem Town Centre to access its amenities.
Bethlehem Butchery owner Ben Taylor said his core customer base was retirees.
He has owned the butchery since 2014, and his father owned it for 29 years.
He said the business park could attract more people to the area, and smaller businesses could experience “a nice boost from that”.
He was not concerned about more traffic, as the Takitimu North Link would ease pressure.
Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.