Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt. Photo / File
Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt. Photo / File
MARCH:
The Bay of Plenty Times reported that in 2017 Tauranga was the top performing city in New Zealand across all measures of economic activity.
In reports commissioned by economic development agency Priority One from Infometrics, Tauranga's gross domestic product growth for the 2017 calendar year was an unprecedented 6.6per cent.
This was the highest GDP growth for a city in New Zealand and well ahead of Auckland's 5.2 per cent, Hamilton's 4 per cent and Christchurch's 3.3 per cent.
Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt at the time said: "While we have experienced strong growth over the last five years, 6.6 per cent marks an outstanding performance for the Tauranga region."
Twenty-one properties in The Lakes were evacuated on March 9, angering residents.
Former Tauranga City Council chief executive Garry Poole issued a warrant to evacuate the properties, built by the liquidated developer, Bella Vista Homes, to avoid immediate danger.
The council said it received advice from a geotechnical specialist on the morning of March 9 which meant the properties needed to be vacated.
Part of the reason for the urgency was the potential arrival of Cyclone Hola, the council said, but an unretained slope in the area was also at risk of failing.
Poole said 21 properties and 13 families were affected.
Twenty-one properties were evacuated in the Bella Vista Homes development in The Lakes in March. Photo/ File
Police laid down road spikes three times while trying to catch a fleeing driver who they allege abandoned his burning car on State Highway 2 and jumped into Wairoa River near Tauranga.
The car burst into flames when it was abandoned at the Wairoa Bridge about 10am on March 12.
A witness saw a man jumping from the bridge into the river as police continued to search for him.
A police spokeswoman said police followed a driver in Waihi shortly after 9.30am. Police followed at a distance, not in a chase, but set up road spikes near Wairoa Bridge, she said.
The fiery end to the police chase which took place on March 12. Photo/ File
Two people were rushed to Tauranga Hospital with moderate injuries after a light plane crashed into a paddock in Waihi.
A St John ambulance crew rushed to the scene on Tauranga Rd in Waihi, near SH2, around 3.30pm on March 28.
Medical staff had two ambulances at the scene treating the two patients.
