Construction boom: 20 big projects set to reshape Auckland and beyond in 2026

The logistics/warehouses sector is hot and includes projects like James Kirkpatrick jnr’s $1 billion-plus Māngere scheme, to Goodman’s work on the ex-Villa Maria estate across the other side of that peninsula.

This list of 20 possible 2026 moves is in alphabetical order.

Expect even more progress in 2026 here.

Last year, the $800m terminal job was won by Hawkins which has tower cranes up.

In September, the airport opened its biggest airfield expansion in a $465m job to create parking for up to 11 jets.

The first stage of this multi-billion-dollar housing/town centre/employment hub is due to get cracking in 2026.

A November sod-turning ceremony marked progress to develop 307ha in Auckland’s southeast at Beachlands.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, with Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and others gathered for the start of a project which could take 15 years.

The Beachlands South Limited Partnership is backed by Russell Group, the NZ Super Fund and Ngāi Tai Hapai - an investment vehicle for Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and other local iwi.

This $700-800m contract will be let in 2026.

Plans for the expansion include 240 high-security beds in 160 cells. The prison currently has 926 beds, of which 346 are high security.

The expansion will result in 1166 beds in total.

Three bidders include consortia containing locals Naylor Love, Leighs Construction and Southbase.

Reason to celebrate – the 2026 opening of the $5.5b project.

The first look inside Te Waihorotiu Station showed a ceiling dangling 4000 golden aluminium rods to mimic the reeds on the bank of the awa (river), te reo signage and seven skylights representing seven stars in the Matariki constellation, not nine, which mana whenua requested.

Throughout this astonishing station are works of art. Faint circular symbol motifs on dark mesh grills above the platforms represent moving water. Orange/yellow pre-cast panels were made to pay homage to the Waitematā sandstone of the area.

Could legal action against the failed property development group Du Val in Auckland occur in 2026 and some of its long-stalled projects be finished?

Reports in early December said PwC had sold some properties, thought to have been bought by original project managers.

Naylor Love has been on the site of the abandoned partly-built Verge apartments at 65-66 Hillside Rd, Mt Wellington.

PwC’s John Fisk has confirmed some movement there.

He said on December 8 that properties in Māngere and West Auckland had been recently sold.

Kiwi Property will advance plans for this major new development, with deals struck to sell land to Costco Wholesale as well as Foodstuffs (North Island).

Naylor Love built Ikea at Sylvia Park, while Haydn & Rollett built Costco Wholesale Westgate.

Who wins the contract to build what could be a 1.4ha store and neighbouring fuel station at Drury will be of great interest to the construction sector in 2026.

Doesn’t look like build-to-rent at Lynn Mall will proceed in 2026.

The possible sale of Fletcher Construction has been flagged for months.

Could 2026 be the year things begin to turn for the better for Fletcher Building under Andrew Reding?

It has been weighed down by legacy projects and is facing litigation over the now completed New Zealand International Convention Centre.

Residentially, it is busy.

Fletcher Living’s ex-Three Kings quarry and its $500m The Hill at Ellerslie are just two of its big projects under construction.

Goodman has a number of projects on the go.

Development is underway on Montgomerie Rd, Māngere via infrastructure and enabling works. That is the ex-Villa Maria vineyard established by Sir George Fistonich, who said in 2022 that he was gutted at its loss.

Goodman calls this project Waitomokia.

James Kirkpatrick Group, headed by a son of the late James Kirkpatrick is developing a 6.5ha industrial project which is to have a vast number of enormous logistics and warehouse buildings in south Auckland.

CBRE found that to be the largest new building rising in the city. The estate is at 352-358 Puhinui Rd.

At 35 Graham St, this private family company has won consent to build an 11-level $650m office project, although CBRE said uses may change so some accommodation could be included.

Yakka began demolition during the winter so we should see some good progress as the block rises in 2026.

The design shown in one plan is for a building to be 24,649sq m, or 2.4ha, of indoor floor space.

From Ngāi Tahu in the south to Ngāti Whātua in Tāmaki Makaurau, expect big things in 2026.

Ngāti Whātua has Graham Wilkinson’s Generus Living Group demolishing and rebuilding most of its Eastcliffe retirement village, the new project to be called The Point Mission Bay.

At the site of the ex-Te Pūkenga Unitec land at Carrington in Mt Albert, Ngāi Whātua will start the first 51 of 350 new homes in a project called Te Punga (the anchor).

Nearby, Ockham Residential and five-iwi collective Marutūāhu are renting their new building Whetū and selling more units in Toi alongside.

Stride Property is leasing three CBD waterfront sites from the Auckland Council, for new hospitality/offices blocks.

CEO Philip Littlewood announced plans for a redevelopment of two of the three properties opposite ASB North Wharf with the company’s results in November.

Design and consenting is underway for a 10,500-12,500sq m premium mixed-use retail and office development, he said.

The combined area of the sites on Jellicoe St, facing the pedestrian North Wharf Promenade overlooking the sea, is 3672sq m.

February’s opening and the start of trade is a reason to celebrate this long slog by Fletcher Construction and SkyCity Entertainment Group.

The centre is planning to bring thousands to this new hub in the CBD, opposite the Albert St entrance to the mid-city CRL station.

The listed landlord will bring big changes to our city in 2026.

Student accommodation is rising already on Queen St and over in Parnell.

But the bigger plans are demolition of the Downtown Carpark, to be replaced by two skyscrapers called Te Pūmanawa o Tāmaki.

The project, with Ngāti Whātua, comprises the demolition of the existing carpark building and building two towers.

We should see some big moves in 2026 from Precinct, which is also developing apartments in many Auckland areas.

Work on the $300m 65-level Seascape stopped in August, 2024. Icon has been due to pick up where China Construction left off.

So perhaps 2026 might see the soaring yellow tower crane swing back into action on the side of New Zealand’s tallest apartment tower.

Simplicity Living is the most active build-to-rent developer in New Zealand.

It will finish its first places in 2026, fulfilling long-held ambitions to provide purpose-built rental accommodation and swell KiwiSaver funds.

Projects include Remarkables Park, Queenstown, Te Reiputa in Mt Wellington and Waiatarua at Ellerslie.

A head contractor will be appointed in 2026 to the Foodstuffs (North Island) New World Victoria Park, so badly burned on June 17 that Nikau demolished most of it.

Around the middle of the year, the business will open the ex-Woolworths Te Atatū. That is to be a new-look, vastly expanded New World Te Atatu, seeking 120 new staff to serve the approximately 15,000 people on the peninsula. Buying the store, adding on and doing up the store is a $50m project.

Malaysians are due to buy Bledisloe House in the CBD and develop the Symphony Centre on the old Bledisloe carpark.

Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) is renovating Bledisloe House between Wellesley St and Aotea Square, and then plans to build the new 21-level offices/apartments.

Apart from Precinct’s twin-tower scheme, that is the largest CBD project planned.

The $50m Waiwera development is headed by Melbourne’s Brandon Batagol who announced it on November 28.

Facilities planned include 28 pools, indoor spa areas, cafe, sauna/hamam, cold plunge and mist steam walk.

Expect New Zealand’s biggest Kmart there soon and a lot more. Five big buildings are rising, almost directly opposite Costco Wholesale in a street yet to be created: Maki Place off Maki St.

Mark Gunton’s NZ Retail Property Group has just opened the new Tesla showroom at the northwestern retail hub.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.