Southern Gateway
What begins as a commercial development is becoming a living landscape, shaped by wetlands and native planting.
Client: Dempsey Wood
Expertise: Greenfield Development
Plants: 55,000
Project Timeline: 2024 - 2025
Partners: Dempsey Wood, James Kirkpatrick Group
Southern Gateway is a major commercial development positioned at the entrance to Auckland Airport, designed to be both a business hub and an ecologically resilient landscape. The project integrates modern commercial infrastructure with large-scale ecological planting, creating a gateway that reflects Auckland’s identity and commitment to sustainability.
Ecosystem
Our involvement focused on transforming the greenfield site into a living landscape. Alongside the subdivision development, we delivered standout wetland areas, ponds, and street tree plantings. A key feature was a large wetland bowl formed by Dempsey Wood Contractors, which our teams established with native wetland species and specimen trees to create a diverse and resilient ecosystem. For the offset wetland ponds, we prepared the site by mechanical mulching dense weed cover before completing extensive native planting.
With over 55,000 native plants incorporated into the design, the development enhances biodiversity, supports carbon reduction, and establishes green corridors that connect with surrounding habitats. More than just a place for business, Southern Gateway sets a benchmark for developments that combine commercial growth with long-term environmental value.
