Food labs to replace Patea Primary School

The defunct Patea Primary School is being demolished in coming weeks to make room for a new enterprise with a focus on innovative food and artificial intelligence.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, of Ngati Ruanui Holdings, a subsidiary of Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Trust, said food growing labs and a research centre would be established on the Victoria St site.

‘‘Some of it will be food that is grown in labs and in tunnels,’’ she said.

While the venture was largely under wraps, Ngarewa-Packer said its core would be growing and exporting fruit.

But the business would also work on coding and designing robots to complement the primary sector in conjunction with a joint venture the group has with horticulture entrepreneur Steve Saunders.

‘‘We’re providing employment that’s going to be future-focussed, that encourages entrepreneurship and venturing into businesses that are going to be leading the way in the future.

‘‘Our people are always the labourers and that needs to stop.’’

The South Taranaki body has invested with Saunders’ company Miro Berries, which would come on board with the Patea business and mitigate start-up costs.

Ngarewa-Packer said total project costs for the iwi was about $250,000, which would largely cover the demolition and site excavation. Extensive work to remove asbestos had begun and all buildings from the site, except a hall and a prefab block, would be torn down.

Demolition would start next week as would site excavation as the area needed to be flattened to house more buildings, or ‘‘domes’’.

Ngarewa-Packer said phase one of the project should be complete within eight weeks and then custom-made domes from Auckland would begin to arrive.

She said the setup would be a matter of days. ‘‘At that stage the labs will all be set up as well, so we’re looking at two lots of work to be done at the same time.’’

She anticipated the business could then begin work at the end of October.

A management team of about four people would launch the venture, people she believed would be sourced from within the iwi.

At its peak the business could offer a maximum of 27 jobs.

The iwi already own and operate the Ngati Ruanui Stratford Mountain House on Mt Taranaki and Hawera’s Ngati Ruanui Healthcare centre, which together offered more than 40 employment opportunities.

For a number of years the group has invested in innovated food, such as berries and apples, as part of a wider plan to establish its own economic system.

Ngarewa-Packer said the time was right to develop the school site and to establish a sustainable business that would have a positive impact on the community.

The school closed in the early ‘00s and the iwi was offered first right of refusal for about $350,000.

There were projects run from the site for a few years which saw proceeds go to local marae but they weren’t well supported, she said.

‘‘The last few years its fallen into disrepair and the kids have vandalised it.’’

Planning to have the school torn down wasn’t easy for former student Ngarewa-Packer.

Her mum was also the principal for many years and there were fond memories made in the buildings due for removal, she said.

‘‘I’ve been bawling.’’