Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

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

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

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

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

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 / Whanganui Chronicle

Council crunching numbers with businesses

By John Maslin
Whanganui Chronicle·
14 Jun, 2016 08:45 PM3 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

REVIVAL: Properties such as the long disused milk treatment plant in Whanganui East are being marketed as potential sites for new businesses.

REVIVAL: Properties such as the long disused milk treatment plant in Whanganui East are being marketed as potential sites for new businesses.

Whanganui is set to benefit from an economic uplift, if action behind the scenes attracts new businesses to the city.

Adrian Dixon, manager of the district council's economic arm, Whanganui and Partners, said a number of businesses were crunching the numbers with a view to setting up here.

Three of them would be tapping into product coming off the region's farms, Mr Dixon said, though more precise details could not be released at this stage.

One of them was at the capital-raising phase but he wanted to see that process completed before announcing any more information.

"We're also working with some local producers to build a supply line of ingredients for another food-producing company. They have engineers and architects reviewing a facility."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Dixon's unit was also working with central government on projects to develop business cases. This included the innovation quarter which is aimed at creating an innovation area within the city "where innovative ideas happened".

He said Chris Heywood, economic development and projects officer for Whanganui and Partners, was working with real estate agents to package up proposals for another new business attraction which is looking at using the former milk treatment plant in Whanganui East.

"There's a great deal of activity in the business growth and investment space at the moment."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Despite economic challenges, such as Cavalier Bremworth pruning staff numbers at its Castlecliff factory, Whanganui was seeing new investment. The pet store franchise Animates opening up in the city was one example.

"And we're working closely with the district council, central Government, Q-West, Ali-Arc and other key stakeholders on opportunities with the Whanganui port," Mr Dixon said.

One factor keeping a brake on economic activity was uncertainty across the global economy. That and a lack of inflation continued to put downward pressure on interest rates.

"There is a lack of confidence and tough market conditions, so we have to expect limited increases in investment," he said.

Another target for Whanganui and Partners was the push for some high-end accommodation for the city.

He said increasing tourist numbers were highlighting the limited options, in particular lack of a boutique hotel, and the ability to handle large numbers coming to the city for conferences or events.

"We're working with partners, potential investors and central government agencies like New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to attract investment in this space," Mr Dixon said.

He said a "huge amount" of work was ongoing with owners and real estate agents to fill empty shops in the central city.

"It's challenging, difficult work but it is ongoing."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Grant helps school provide rugby player shelters

Whanganui Chronicle

Endurance ace ready for 'Wimbledon' of trail running

Whanganui Chronicle

Police arrest 19 Hells Angels members, 72 charges laid


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Grant helps school provide rugby player shelters
Whanganui Chronicle

Grant helps school provide rugby player shelters

Collegiate has two new rugby bunkers, with NZCT providing $12,000 of the $18,500 cost.

15 Jul 05:00 PM
Endurance ace ready for 'Wimbledon' of trail running
Whanganui Chronicle

Endurance ace ready for 'Wimbledon' of trail running

15 Jul 05:00 PM
Police arrest 19 Hells Angels members, 72 charges laid
Whanganui Chronicle

Police arrest 19 Hells Angels members, 72 charges laid

15 Jul 03:26 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
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
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP