Expressway key to hub progress
The completion of the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway is the most critical element in the progress of Tainui’s Ruakura Inland Port and Logistics Hub, says Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) chief executive Chris Joblin.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says the Ruakura interchange and construction of the Ruakura east connection is well advanced and design work for the Ruakura West connection to Silverdale Rd and Waikato University is being finalised. The whole Hamilton section of the expressway is scheduled for completion in 2020.
‘‘We’ve been putting key parts of (inland port) infrastructure in place and design work and master planning for the whole central area,’’ Joblin said.
‘‘We have more than 2 million square metres of industrial and commercial space in one place and we want it carefully planned and designed throughout.
‘‘At the moment we have water and waste water coming on site. We are pre-loading the 6ha inland port area which will have full rail sidings. The next step is to get the roading network in place.
‘‘The most critical piece is the Waikato Expressway which is a fair way down the track – once opened in 2020, we plan our pieces to align with theirs. That will give us rail right through Ruakura to the East Coast main trunk line and the Waikato Expressway. We will have infrastructure in proximity to people and employment and a commercial base equidistant from two major sea ports, joined to Auckland by a four-lane highway.’’
Joblin said the identities of buyers at Ruakura were commercially sensitive, but there was ‘‘lots of demand and we are working through logistics and occupancy with various customers’’.
‘‘We can see what we have around the city, and what we see is a real wave of activity. With Ruakura it doesn’t matter where the ports are, what matters is the congestion in Auckland and what that means for distributors and their customers. They will achieve substantial savings by moving out of Auckland to Ruakura. It is a lot cheaper to be here and better utilisation of assets.
‘‘You can see the lack of availability of space in Auckland is going to lead to a substantial increase in demand in this region. We want to make the supply chain more efficient and provide the opportunity to take cost out of their businesses.’’
The Ruakura port and hub covers 485ha, including a 262ha industrial park, a 138ha housing project, a 108ha educational precinct, a 31ha hub run- ning along the rail line and three planned shopping centres. The project is projected to take 30 to 50 years.
Meanwhile, construction is under way on Te Karearea, a social housing development in the former 1950s Jebson Place state house precinct bounded by Old Farm Rd and Dey St.
Joblin said the joint development between Waikato-Tainui’s commercial arm, TGH, and its social arm was a pilot for development of affordable and social housing that would create opportunities to get into the housing market.
Houses in the $11 million development are projected to be offered to Tainui beneficiaries for between $450,000 and $550,000.
‘‘The next step is to get the roading network in place.’’ Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Chris Joblin