16/09/2014 - General News
Christine Langdon
One of Christchurch’s oldest remaining central city service stations, Z Moorhouse, reopens this week as one of the country’s most modern.
Despite surviving the Christchurch Earthquakes, Z Moorhouse has now been completely knocked down and rebuilt in a $3.4 million redevelopment.
Z Energy says Z Moorhouse is the company’s first service station redevelopment in the South Island in more than 10 years.
The new site will have an enhanced food and beverage offering, with Z Espress coffee and locally made pies, and will operate 24 hours – creating six new jobs.
The redevelopment has also included building a new Z2O car wash, redesigning the forecourt, rebuilding the convenience store and replacing all underground fuel tanks.
Z General Manager Retail Mark Forsyth said Z Moorhouse has been redeveloped with speed and sustainability in mind.
“We’ve designed it to be one of the most modern and speedy service stations anywhere in the country: with eight lanes, a bigger forecourt, all three grades of fuel on all pumps, stretchy hoses that mean you can fill from either side, a hi-flow diesel pump for larger diesel vehicles and optional pay-at-pump.
“It’s also designed to operate sustainably, with recycling of water in the car wash and energy efficient LED lighting.”
Z has also installed the latest technology high definition, multi-camera CCTV system to keep staff and customers as safe as possible.
Z Moorhouse is the first ‘knockdown-rebuild’ by Z, or predecessor Shell, in the South Island in more than 10 years. (The last South Island development by Shell was Z Mosgiel in 2003.)
Since acquiring Shell’s New Zealand distribution and sales operations four years ago, Z has committed to a national network investment programme. Its next South Island knockdown-rebuild is scheduled to begin at Woolston in October. Z is also exploring new developments and redevelopments for several other Canterbury and South Island locations including Christchurch, Darfield, Dunedin, Queenstown, and Blenheim.