| 33 South Waikato District Council T T Sue Russell South Waikato ‘open for business’ Aerial view of Tokoroa’s Maraetai Road Intermodal Business Park site from north with boundaries marked. According to South Waikato District Council Mayor Gary Petley, the district is very much open for business, with several strategically inspiring projects underway. These projects. he says, promise to bring more new business, people and prosperity to the communities who proudly call South Waikato home. “We have created a vision for the next 30 years and are investing significant capital to support and enable residential, industrial and commercial development. We recognise growth is the key to lifting the whole community – jobs, higher incomes, more facilities.” South Waikato is in a prime location between Hamilton and Taupo on State Highway 1, with rail freight connectivity to the Ports of Auckland and Tauranga, making it a desirable base for enterprises requiring space to grow and access to international markets. Mayor Petley confirms, “The circular economy is a reality here, with businesses clusters developing in the forestry, food and fibre and manufacturing verticals. 26,000 people call the district home, and we are proud of our ethnically diverse community and vibrant and supportive culture.” Chief Executive Susan Law says South Waikato District Council is business-friendly, committing the necessary resources to attract new businesses and make it easy for them to get established and operate. “We want to be a district where it is easy for entrepreneurs and companies to do business. The approach is succeeding with multinational companies having the confidence to invest hundreds of millions of dollars over the last five years. For example, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) has built a new dairy processing plant in Tokoroa and Oji Fibre Solutions is enhancing its Kinleith plant.” The Council is developing the $20 million Maraetai Road Intermodal Business Park in Tokoroa (MRIBP) that will enable more businesses to co-locate beside the existing Tokoroa Road Rail Terminal, providing better road and rail connectivity for container freight access to Ports of Auckland and Tauranga. This has already been 90% sold, highlighting investor confidence in locating in the district. An example of a business that saw the economic benefits in setting up in Tirau and be part of a new era of growth in the district is health food company Nothing Naughty, which made the strategically sound decision to relocate from Tauranga and has not looked back, growing at over 50% per year! Imagine a forest of 90,000 exotic and native trees, not only providing all the benefits growing trees deliver to the environment but also a happy home to 320,000 laying hens. Better Eggs is a proudly family-owned South Waikato based forestry free-range poultry farm pioneer, whose hens are free to roam the forest and behave as nature intended, while laying in warm, comfortable, safe barns – the best of both worlds! To ensure there is a well-educated workforce, the newly opened $14 million Pūkenga Rau South Waikato Trades Training Centre situated at the northern end of Tokoroa will train engineers, construction and automotive workers and more. Local iwi Raukawa are a progressive social and economic force within the district and provide an open and collaborative welcome to investors and enterprises. Beyond business and industry, people are being drawn to live in the region, given the development of good quality affordable REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT pockets of housing and associated infrastructure. Housing developer Ultimate Group is working on a $200 million development of 400 residential homes in Putāruru and the Council has committed to a 19-unit affordable housing precinct and all ability playground in Tokoroa. Across the district, from Tirau, through Putaruru to Tokoroa south along State Highway 1 industrial and residential sites are enticing savvy developers, who understand the combination of a progressive Council, and social infrastructure such as Pūkenga Rau makes it a no-brainer, to put down roots in the district. Here at Te Miro Water: ∙ We specialise in 3 waters management & design ∙ We analyse flood hazards and manage flood risk ∙ We protect water quality ∙ We deliver resource consents Come join us! Contact Britta on 027 279 3356 or Mike on 021 477 801
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