Timaru council spends more than $2 million buying gang properties

Tuesday, 6 June 2023

Timaru District Council has confirmed the purchase of another three gang-linked properties on Meadows Rd at Washdyke.

Three weeks after it purchased and bowled the gang pad at the centre of tensions between two rival gangs, the Timaru District Council has announced it has purchased three more gang-linked properties.

On Tuesday, the council issued a statement confirming the purchase of another three “gang-affiliated properties” in Washdyke, bringing the total spent to over $2 million.

Mayor Nigel Bowen said it was important the whole package of properties was purchased to block the ability of a new gang to establish itself in Timaru.

“We are pleased that we’ve been able to complete this process and ensure that there’s no place for a new gang to get a foothold in Timaru,” Bowen said.

Within minutes of confirming the purchase of 90 Meadows Rd, the council had contractors working on the site to rip down the former long-time headquarters of the Devils Henchmen on May 16. It has now confirmed the purchase of three other properties on Meadows Rd.

* Community reacts to demolition of Timaru gang pad

Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen arrives at the former Devils Henchmen pad on Meadows Rd prior to demolition on May 16.

* Council buys Timaru gang pad, begins demolition amid tensions

The former Devils Henchmen gang headquarters in Timaru were demolished on May 16.

On May 16, council confirmed it had purchased 90 Meadows Rd, just minutes before demolition of the former long-time headquarters of the Devils Henchmen began. The council later confirmed it had spent $1.26m acquiring the property.

Now, the council had confirmed it also purchased the properties at 76-80 Meadows Rd for “capital value”. The properties were all zoned industrial. The capital value of 76 Meadows Rd (811m2) was $285,000, 78 Meadows Rd (820m2) was $270,000 and 80 Meadows Rd (814m2) was $305,000.

He said the council intended to clear the sites before putting them up for sale, and expected to recover both the transaction price and any cost from the sale to optimise the “return to ratepayers”.

“These are desirable pieces of industrial land in an area of high demand, so we’re planning on clearing and preparing the sites as soon as possible to put them out to the market.

“This decision was ratified by council last week, and has support of the police and a large majority of the community, many of whom have been in touch to commend us on these positive actions.”

Councillors “unanimously ratified” the purchases of the properties during the public excluded section of the council’s meeting on May 30, he said.

“Resolutions were made to prepare the properties for sale in a competitively tendered process to optimise the sale price; instruct officers to bring for its consideration the offers received at the conclusion of the sale process; and to delegate to the mayor and chief executive the authority to complete arrangements as necessary.”