Te Puna ‘in shock’ as industrial park approved for wetland area

Priority Te Puna spokesperson Alison Cowley is against the industrial park on Te Puna Station Rd that was granted resource consent. Photos / John Borren, Alisha Evans

A rural Western Bay of Plenty community is “in shock” as a controversial local industrial park is greenlit.

Te Puna residents have been rallying against the development since 2021, as they say the culturally significant, flood-prone wetland is inappropriate for the business.

Resource consents were granted for the industrial park by an independent commission whose decision was released last week.

Te Puna Industrial Limited bought 12ha of industrial-zoned land at 297 Te Puna Station Rd for $4.7m in 2021 and applied for consents from the Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Regional councils in 2022.

The company is half-owned by shipping container company ContainerCo.

ContainerCo managing director Ken Harris said they planned to build “very low-intensity, specialised businesses” at Te Puna Business Park.

Plans included refrigeration engineering, workshop activities including container washing, and the company’s sales office.

The business park website said ContainerCo would hold a “small supply” of up to 300 containers at the site.

Priority Te Puna spokesperson Alison Cowley said the community was “in shock and very depressed” about the decision.

“People took the assumption that it was so ridiculous that it was never going to happen.”

Priority Te Puna spokesperson Alison Cowley. Photo / Alisha Evans

There were safety concerns because of the increase in trucks and heavy vehicles on Te Puna Rd from the park, Cowley said.

“We feel that the impact on Te Puna Village and the Te Puna Rd corridor has not been in any way considered.”

Cowley said the consent conditions were “extremely stringent” so it was up to the council to ensure they were complied with.

Concerned locals formed the incorporated society, Priority Te Puna in 2022.

They were holding a public meeting about the consent approval on July 23 at 7pm at the Te Puna Memorial Hall.

Harris said there had been a “huge amount of misinformation” spread about the development, which was “disappointing”.

There were signs dotted around the settlement saying, “Container Terminal, Te Puna Says No” and “Wrong Business, Wrong Place, No Container Terminal”.

Signs are dotted around Te Puna opposing the industrial park on Te Puna Station Road. Photo / John Borren

There was no intention to build a container terminal or a container park of any scale, he said.

“This is a facility that will fit into the community and be good for the region.”

The consent process was “very thorough and rigorous”, Harris said.

The traffic plans were “carefully considered” by experts and if people were concerned, they could call the company, he said.

“If traffic causes a problem people should talk to us and we will listen carefully and adjust plans as required.”

ContainerCo managing director Ken Harris. Photo / Supplied

Once fully developed, the site would generate 774 vehicle movements per day, with a peak of 125 vehicles an hour, according to the commission’s decision report.

It also said Western Bay of Plenty District Council had committed to upgrading the Te Puna Station Rd/Te Puna Rd intersection, with works set to start in October and finish late January.

Harris said they would also be establishing community and mana whenua liaison groups.

The land is culturally significant to Pirirakau hapū, who occupied the Pukewhanake Pā at the headland of the Te Hakao valley, and the wetland was once an important food source for them.

The consents went through a lengthy process, including public submissions in 2023.

Of the 273 submissions 271 were opposed, one was neutral, and one did not clearly state a position.

At hearings in July 2024, 17 submitters addressed the independent commission of Fraser Campbell, James Whetu, and chair Rob van Voorthuysen.

Harris said work would begin at the site in October with landscaping and supporting infrastructure as well as wetland restoration.

A 5.24ha area will be developed first and 2.21ha in the future.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.