The Marine Precinct concept plan for the Mirrielees Rd site.
The Marine Precinct concept plan for the Mirrielees Rd site.
Tauranga City Council will take the reins of a multi-million dollar Marine Precinct set for Sulphur Point for the first three years of the project's life.
Stage one of the precinct, which is expected to pump more than $45 million into the region's economy and employ about 195 people, willbe taken on as a council activity, elected members decided yesterday.
A Marine Precinct Advisory Group will be established and council's City Delivery Committee will receive updates every quarter. Financial details and any pre-commitments from the marine industry are being kept under wraps at this stage due to commercial sensitivity but the Bay of Plenty Times understands there is keen interest from both the commercial fishing and boat building industries.
The concept plan includes a 200-tonne travel lift, the largest in New Zealand, on a 3.56ha site, a new seawall and 17 lots for sale or lease. The project has $5 million in backing from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, with stage one expected to cost $10 million.
It is hoped the precinct would resurrect the marine refitting and refurbishment industry that died seven years ago when the city's slipway was closed to accommodate the Harbour Link.
Councillors Rick Curach and Catherine Stewart voted against council taking on the project, with Cr Curach suggesting it was "not council's core business" and could be a risk to ratepayers.
However, mayor Stuart Crosby said council's role would be to get the precinct up and running and it would one day "exit the project".
Deputy mayor Kelvin Clout applauded the decision to back the plan saying the precinct "floats my boat" while Cr Bill Grainger said it was an opportunity the city could not brush aside. "The benefits for the city are enormous." Natalie Dixon
