36
rua k u r a
The proposed Ruakura development remains the single most
important long-term project for TGH in terms of its ability to
deliver intergenerational shareholder returns.
Good progress was made in 2013 on the Regional Policy
Statement and Hamilton City’s Proposed District Plan.
However, there was still a significant amount of uncertainty
around the timing of the district plan change, especially in the
context of the 2019 completion of the Waikato Expressway.
TGH therefore made a decision to lodge an application with
the Environmental Protection Agency, along with partners
Chedworth Properties, for a Private Plan Change for the
proposed Ruakura development. The decision was not taken
lightly as the applicants must bear the costs of the process.
The Private Plan Change was accepted for review by the
Agency after both it and HCC agreed that it was a project
of national significance. The EPA referred the plan change
to the Minister for the Environment who in September 2013
appointed a Board of Inquiry to hear the application. At the
time of writing the hearing was set down for May 2014, with
a decision by the Board expected in September 2014.
TGH and Chedworth Properties have made major investments
of time and resources for the hearing, commissioning expert
reports on all economic, environmental, social and cultural
aspects of the project.
TGH is committed to seeing that the benefits of the Ruakura
development are shared by the widest possible cross-section
of the community. If the Board of Inquiry approves the
plan, and resource consents can be readily obtained for the
initial stages, Ruakura will be able to create up to 740 new,
permanent jobs within the first five years. Longer term it is
expected that Ruakura could provide between 6,000 and
12,000 jobs which would establish Ruakura as a significant
employment area for Hamilton and the Waikato region.
Importantly, about 75 percent of these jobs would be new
to the area.
Ruakura, Hamilton.
It is expected that
Ruakura could provide
between 6,000 and 12,000 jobs.
