The Hopper name is synonymous with the country’s largest developer of man-made canal housing projects and, more recently, an artificial island.
The family business, Hopper Developments, was founded in 1956 by brothers Ian and Tony Hopper, and now includes Endeavour Island, the first of three planned islands in the waterways of a $1.5 billion project at Whitianga in Coromandel’s Mercury Bay,
Long-term thinking and commitment is the company’s trademark, as it is halfway through a project that will take nearly 40 years to complete.
Managing director Leigh Hopper, who majority-owns the business, has built his own new home on a 3000sq m section on Endeavour Island, which is a New Zealand first.
The project combines former dairy farms in a joint venture with the original landowners so the 11ha site – originally part of the mainland – is surrounded by 1.5km of canals with waterfront views and a jetty to moor a boat.
More than 300 people will live on the island in 109 residential lots, most of them now being permanently occupied rather than being holiday homes.
Once complete, Whitianga Waterways will have about 8km of canals and some 1500 sections, of which more than 500 sections have been created.
Across from the island, the Marlin Waters retirement village will adjoin a 110-room hotel and a waterfront retail centre with about 30 properties. Another 200-unit licence-to-occupy retirement complex is planned, with an adjoining medical centre. Plans for a marine precinct include a live-aboard marina.
Leigh’s son, Gray, has been in the business since a young age and is a project manager while nephew Andy Grey is the financial controller.
Hopper Developments also has canal housing and a marina at Marsden Cove in Northland, which is now home to 290 properties and The Anchorage Retirement Village, as well as expanding the original resort settlement at Pauanui. Other retirement villages are at Orewa (completed) and Huapai (under construction).
2018: $190 million
Leigh Hopper was talking to Rawdon Christie in August 2019.