Site blessing marks first stage of Mātai campus development

Matai

Medical research company Mātai started the development of its $5 million research and education excellence campus with a blessing yesterday.

Following this and the ceremonial planting of a pūriri tree at the Childers Road site, Mātai chief executive and director of research Dr Samantha Holdsworth thanked all who had been part of the journey so far.

“This is just the first stage of the Mātai campus development,” Dr Holdsworth said.

“Pending further funding, our vision for future stages of the campus is a place where research, innovation, education and jobs in the medical imaging, medical sciences and bioengineering fields can flourish alongside Tairāwhiti-Gisborne's unique heritage and culture.”

Mātai chief operating officer Leigh Potter said as they embarked on the next stage of their journey she was most grateful to the Rongowhakaata iwi and kaumatua Taina Ngarimu (Ngāti Porou) for their guidance.

The location and new building would continue to uplift health and wellbeing in the community, she said, and she was especially excited about the opportunities to empower more tauira (students) and future generations.

The build is being led by Shane Kingsbeer, of Kingsbeer Architecture, and will take about a year to finish.

Mātai was awarded $3.32 million by the Lottery Significant Projects Fund to develop a permanent facility on the site occupied by St Mary's School until 2018 and purchased from Gisborne Holdings Ltd — the district council's commercial arm — last year.

Lottery Significant Projects Fund committee member Tina Karaitiana said they had been impressed with the wider vision of the project.

“The committee chose to fund the Mātai building on the basis of its regional and national contribution to wellbeing and resilience,” Mrs Karaitiana said.

The remainder of the initial $5m build budget comes from the Provincial Growth Fund seed funding administered by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.

Mātai bought the land from Gisborne Holdings Ltd to develop a campus supporting medical imaging research, medical sciences and biotechnology.

GHL originally earmarked the 2.5-hectare site for a proposed 30-section housing subdivision before putting the property up for sale.

The site had a rateable land value of about $1m in 2018 but the details of that sale and the latest one remain commercially sensitive.

“Following extensive discussions with GHL, Mātai recently realised it wouldn't be in a position to develop the entire site for some time,” Dr Holdsworth said.

“There was an opportunity to work with GHL on a collaborative development to achieve Mātai's wider campus vision and accelerate the development of the whole site, and deliver a ‘best for region' outcome.

“As a result, Mātai and GHL agreed that the best answer for both parties, and crucially for the region, was for GHL to keep the areas that were likely to be developed last, and establish a cross-community steering group to determine the best outcome for the overall development.”

Under the agreement Mātai has purchased 1.7 hectares, with GHL retaining the remainder.

Initially the steering group will comprise Mātai, Trust Tairāwhiti and GHL.

“It is early days but we are working quickly to bring the group together and get things moving,” GHL board chair John Rae said.

“We see this site as one that holds plenty of potential for the wider Tairāwhiti community. It offers a chance for a coming together of numerous organisations for the betterment of all.

“While we may have sold the land, we have taken on board the public feedback and continued to work with Mātai.

“Our goal has always been to see activity on that site occur as quickly as possible and we're delighted to be working with Mātai to achieve that.”