Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Government announces funding for Rotorua Lakefront and forest projects

Rotorua Daily Post
28 Jun, 2018 09:26 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      5
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      More than $800,000 for Rotorua projects.

      The Government will contribute more than $800,000 to two "Big Moves" projects in Rotorua, it was announced at the Redwoods this morning. Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau said $811,625 from the Provincial Growth Fund would go towards finalising the business cases for developing and enhancing Rotorua's Lakefront and Whakarewarewa Forest.

      "These projects will develop and extend key infrastructure at the Lakefront and forest which will support the growth of the tourism sector as well as provide investment opportunities and employment," Tabuteau said.

      "It is anticipated the projects, once complete, will generate more than $350 million in private and iwi investment, and potentially more than 800 jobs for the region."

      Fletcher Tabuteau at the announcement in the Redwoods. Photo/Stephen Parker
      Fletcher Tabuteau at the announcement in the Redwoods. Photo/Stephen Parker

      The council's plan for the Lakefront includes an interactive sculpture park, visitor and coach parking, upgraded public toilets, a waka launching space and viewing platform, and jetty changes.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      The council is also considering options for improving Long Mile Rd; a high-use entrance to the Whakarewarewa Forest trail networks, including a new mountain bike hub.

      Both projects are included in the Rotorua Lakes Council's Long-Term Plan 2018-2028 which was adopted this week.

      The funding announced todaywill go towards a business case and planning for the projects.

      Tabuteau said it was "transformational" projects like these that the Provincial Growth Fund was interested in advancing.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "Thousands of people visit Rotorua annually to experience what we have to offer in these forests. Ideally, we need to not only meet their demands and expectations but exceed them. We need to get them to stay longer, spend more and rave about us."

      Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the announcement aligned with the council's vision and Long-Term Plan.

      "These are major investments in our future and it's about the future of our children and grandchildren."

      Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the projects aligned with the council's Long-Term Plan. Photo/Stephen Parker
      Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the projects aligned with the council's Long-Term Plan. Photo/Stephen Parker

      "Our job is to lift visitor experiences and if we lift it for visitors, it's good for locals.

      Discover more

      Lakefront advisory group gets approval from council

      29 Mar 12:24 AM

      Public feedback collated for Rotorua's 10-year plan

      16 Apr 02:50 AM

      Residents to see average 5.7 per cent rates rise

      28 Jun 06:30 PM

      Teacher thankful after bike tumble

      11 Jul 07:00 PM

      In consultation over the council's Long-Term Plan, 557 people had their say on the vision for the forest, with 335 opposing the proposed developments.

      Chadwick said the council decided to include it in the plan anyway because "we know the economic value of this forest and value of the land".

      "If we didn't do something for the sustainability of this place, which is so special, we could lose it.

      "The wider community will understand when they see how investment will flow. We have to look after the place, we are kaitiakitanga."

      Some submitters in the plan expressed concern about the amount of money the council would contribute and the debt levels if the forest was one of the council's core services.

      "But this space is much more than just trees," Chadwick said.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "It's about linking culture and place and making sure while we make the most of economic opportunities, we also look after it conservation-wise."

      In previous council meetings councillor Rob Kent asked what the point was in consultation if the council did not listen.

      He told the Rotorua Daily Post todayhis view had not changed.

      "I think what they've got planned for the forest is the right idea for the future, but it's more a timing issue.

      "There are other priorities. Those that did submit on aspects said they weren't interested in this."

      Kent said in his view, projects like the Lakefront and forest were not financially viable to develop at this point in time.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      But in a written statement after the announcement, Chadwick said: "It is not a case of prioritising these projects over any others, but about seizing opportunities as they arise."

      During the consultation period for the Long-Term Plan 278 people supported development at the Lakefront while 243 opposed it.

      Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings is the company developing the area.

      General manager Peter Faulkner said the potential there was exciting and the Provincial Growth Fund would help realise that.

      "The first stage of development draws on the key focus points of Rotorua; our culture, natural resources and the lake," he said.

      "It's critical for the long-term success of the city and country to establish Rotorua as a visitor destination that compliments Queenstown."

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      The business cases today's funding were for will allow the council to seek further funding from the provincial growth fund.

      They will be submitted in August for consideration. The council is also putting forward money for the business cases which are the first step in making the projects happen.

      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

      Rotorua Daily Post

      Sex in the city? Mayor defends removing homeless camp, cites offensive behaviour

      12 Jun 05:00 PM
      Rotorua Daily Post

      Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

      12 Jun 04:08 AM
      Rotorua Daily Post

      Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

      12 Jun 02:00 AM

      It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      One survivor, at least 240 dead after Air India flight crashes
      World

      One survivor, at least 240 dead after Air India flight crashes

      12 Jun 05:16 PM
      10 Kiwis lose $100k each to scams within three months
      Business

      10 Kiwis lose $100k each to scams within three months

      12 Jun 05:00 PM
      Morning quiz: In computing, what does 'HTTP' stand for?
      New Zealand

      Morning quiz: In computing, what does 'HTTP' stand for?

      12 Jun 05:00 PM
      Trash sucks: A Norwegian city uses vacuum tubes to whisk waste away
      World

      Trash sucks: A Norwegian city uses vacuum tubes to whisk waste away

      12 Jun 05:00 PM
      Favouritism v loyalty in $75k Waikato Steeples
      Racing

      Favouritism v loyalty in $75k Waikato Steeples

      12 Jun 05:00 PM

      Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

      Sex in the city? Mayor defends removing homeless camp, cites offensive behaviour

      Sex in the city? Mayor defends removing homeless camp, cites offensive behaviour

      12 Jun 05:00 PM

      Six people were trespassed on Wednesday and four more on Thursday.

      Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

      Delays on SH1 near Taupō after slip

      12 Jun 04:08 AM
      Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

      Signatures sought for new State HIghway 2 bridge

      12 Jun 02:00 AM
      Reporoa mum baking to thank the hospital that saved her son’s life

      Reporoa mum baking to thank the hospital that saved her son’s life

      12 Jun 12:37 AM
      The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE
      sponsored

      The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search