News Release 15 February 2013

For immediate release

Linwood Library To Move To Eastgate Shopping Centre

Christchurch’s Linwood Library and Service Centre will re-open in April in east Christchurch’s Eastgate Shopping Centre. The library and service centre have been in temporary east Christchurch locations since the February 2011 earthquakes.

The Christchurch City Council has signed a lease with NZX-listed property company NPT Limited, owner of the Eastgate Shopping Centre, for a 1,200m2 space on Eastgate’s first floor. The library’s lease term is three years from 1 March 2013 with a two-year right of renewal. Fit-out will begin in early March and the library is expected to open to the public in April.

NPT’s Chief Executive Kerry Hitchcock says, “Having a major tenant such as the Linwood Library is an excellent asset for Eastgate and we welcome the library and service centre staff, and its users, to the centre. Over the last two years we’ve seen Eastgate develop from a pure retail centre to have a wider role as the community hub for the people of east Christchurch.”

Eastgate Shopping Centre is managed by Jones Lang La Salle on behalf of NPT. Centre Manager Joanna Hollander says, “We are very much looking forward to having the Linwood Library and Service Centre move into Eastgate. We’re anticipating the library will bring an additional 20,000 people to the centre each month which is not only good news for the library itself, but also for our tenants and shoppers.”

Ms Hollander adds that Eastgate’s Christmas trading figures were very positive. The foot traffic increased and the opening of new stores such as PaperPlus and Lincraft gave Eastgate a 19% increase in turnover for December trading over the same period the previous year.

Christchurch City Council’s Unit Manager Libraries and Information Carolyn Robertson says that the council is very pleased to again provide a library and service centre for east Christchurch people. “We’re delighted to have this new space in which to re-open the Linwood Library and Service Centre. The amenities provided at Eastgate, together with the abundant car parking, make this a fantastic location. East Christchurch people have been very patient and have coped well with the temporary facilities we’ve provided over the past two years and we thank them for their forbearance. We’re very much looking forward to the library and service centre opening in April.”

Mr Hitchcock concludes, “Having Linwood Library and Service Centre re-open at Eastgate is of significant value to our shoppers, tenants and to the community. We’re pleased that the partnership of NPT, Jones Lang La Salle and the Christchurch City Council reinforces the role that Eastgate can play in the rejuvenation of east Christchurch.”

NPT Limited is an NZX-listed company (NPT). It has a diversified portfolio of retail, commercial and industrial properties located in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Christchurch.

ENDS

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