Westpac has signed a build-and-lease agreement with the Britomart Group for the development of a new office complex to relocate operations from several existing North Island sites.

The deal will see the construction of a new building, and the expansion of the existing heritage Charter House building at Britomart, to be linked by pedestrian airbridges.

Fifteen hundred Westpac staff currently in offices in Wellington, Hamilton, Royal Oak and elsewhere will be relocated to the new offices in Auckland in 2009.

Bell Gully partner Mark Crosbie and senior associate Andrew Petersen have advised Bluewater on the development agreement for the Westpac project, while partner Jane Holland and senior associate Susan Bright have advised Bluewater on leasing arrangements.

“We’ve also been involved in advising on other aspects of the redevelopment including the leases for the former Central Post Office site, one of the first heritage buildings to be renovated as part of the project. It has been exciting to see that go from lying abandoned to coming to life again as a key feature of downtown Auckland,” said Holland.

VIEW ALL

“Britomart is the largest heritage restoration project to be undertaken in New Zealand and the Westpac project, which involves an historic building, as well as new premises, will be a further example of how past and present can be successfully and sustainably melded.”