Timaru District Council has agreed to sell the Meadows Road properties it purchased in May 2024.

The Council has agreed to accept the offer to purchase the Council owned properties situated at 76, 78, 80 and 90 Meadows Road for the sum of $2.3 million exclusive of GST.

The purchase price achieved means that there was no cost to ratepayers from the transaction, including the demolition, site clearance, and real estate and legal fees.

Mayor Nigel Bowen said that he was pleased to have achieved the aim of recouping all the costs of buying the properties.

“The aim of this was never to generate a large return for Council, it was to stop a new gang getting any foothold in our community. Even if we had incurred some costs, this pales in comparison to the huge social cost of the harm that it was preventing,” he said.

“Members of the community had been expressing real concern about the possibility of the expansion of gang activity in Timaru, and it was important to send a clear and unequivocal message that they are not welcome in our district.

"We made a major investment in community safety while supplying more valuable industrial land back to our economy, and this was a positive outcome for everyone.”

The properties at Meadows Road were purchased by the Council following community and police concerns that the ownership was likely to be transferred to a new gang that was attempting to establish themselves in the town.

The properties were purchased on 15 May and the gang pad at 90 Meadows Road was immediately demolished to stop the premises being re-occupied.

“While it was great that as a council we were able to take this step, it’s important that the whole community continues to turn our back on gangs,” said Bowen.

“Don't sell to them and let them get a foothold in our towns, refuse their business, and don't provide services to them or their businesses.

“Any business with a gang comes at a real cost to our community.”