Tourism key to wider economic base
In the Matamata-Piako district they mean business.
The Jan Barnes-led district council remains eager to discuss options with anyone looking to bring development which increases employment and economic growth.
Regionally the district remains a significant producer contributing 0.8 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product mainly through dairy and meat production.
Barnes is under no illusion as the district continues to grow and has figures to prove it, but she remains aware the responsibility to ensure growth continues.
The council’s economic development working party identified the vulnerability of the economic base being reliant upon a volatile dairy industry.
Council’s drive for the future is to ensure stability for investment, providing certainty and clarity for decision making, remaining proactive and ready to respond rapidly to investment opportunities.
‘‘There is a dozen objectives underway and when the new council is brought up to speed, we will look to progress those economic development initiatives,’’ said Barnes.
Those initiatives include tourism, industrial land availability and infrastructural and communication needs.
Enabling tourism growth is the rail trail extension from Te Aroha to Matamata, eventually linking the Te Awa trail into Hamilton.
Remaining essential is the support of the three major towns museums and the Wallace Art Gallery, coupled with continued financial support for regional promotion through Tourism Waikato and the i-SITE network.
In order to attract industry creating employment, a review of the council’s development strategy for its three main towns is
‘‘There is a dozen objectives underway and when the new council is brought up to speed, we will look to progress those economic development initiatives.’’
underway and a proposed extension to land zoned industrial is now available for consultation.
Development and extension of infrastructure and planning controls is the subject of a study soon to be undertaken to determine whether Waharoa could become an industrial centre.
Barnes points to historic work undertaken in co-operatively working with large business to develop water and wastewater schemes for Morrinsville and Te Aroha.
‘‘The investment council has made into the preparation of a substantial application to central government for Ultrafast Broadband and an increase in cellular coverage has the council ready to respond rapidly, when a decision is made by the communications minister,’’ said Barnes.