Board of Directors named
Board of Directors named; EPA accepts resource consent application for processing for proposed boat harbour project
From left to right: Elena Trout, Shaneen Simpson-Almond, John Rae and Tracey Hook
Four directors have been appointed to the board of Whakatane’s proposed Boat Harbour General Partnership; Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Whakatane Limited and have just held their first meeting in Whakatāne.
Te Rāhui, the proposed new boat harbour in Whakatāne, is a partnership between Te Rāhui Lands Trust, Ngāti Awa Group Holdings, Whakatāne District Council, and the Crown via Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.
Infrastructure specialist John Rae is the Chair of the Board with fellow Directors Ngāti Awa Group Holdings CEO Tracey Hook, Te Rāhui Lands Trustee and Māori development specialist Shaneen Simpson-Almond, and Whakatāne District Council-nominated Engineering NZ distinguished fellow, Elena Trout.
Each director provides a complementary set of skills. All are focused on the delivery of the project, through the receipt of consents, then guiding the company through the procurement of contractors to build the Boat Harbour within agreed budgets and programme.
Directors also have the important role of ensuring that the strategic goals of the marine project of delivering long term sustainable economic outcomes for the town and region are realised.
Named Te Rāhui Herenga Waka, the boat harbour will berth around 60 commercial boats in its first stage. It will be located adjacent to the Whakatāne River on a site at 2 Keepa Road, on a Māori-owned land block. that has been unproductive for many decades. Unlocking the potential of the land includes the significant task of remediating the land by removing timber waste deposited to the site, along with the restoration of areas of wetland adjacent the site.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) confirmed the consent application filed at the start of February was assessed as being complete and was able to be referred to an expert panel for consideration.
Project Director Phil Wardale says, “This was great news for the project with the EPA having now assembled a panel to consider the consent application inside some specific timelines set down by the special legislation”.
As more and more people become interested in the project the Project Director has been hosting COVID-appropriate small group briefings for those members of the community that would like to know more about the project. Places can be booked by email and details are on the website www.terahui.nz
With an associated marine training school, marine hardstand, marine fuel facility and related businesses, the $29.4 million Boat Harbour aims to ultimately provide for 800 new jobs, including retaining over 200 existing local jobs in the marine and tourism industries.
Equity funding of $19.6 million has been provided by Crown Regional Holdings Limited for the build of the boat harbour, and $9.8 million is to be contributed by Whakatāne District Council, funded through the Council’s Port Endowment Land holdings with landowner Te Rāhui Lands Trust leasing the limited partnership land for the development.