Rangitikei District Council plan to create industrial zone south of Marton

Rangitikei District Council chief executive Ross McNeil.

The Rangitikei District Council is proposing to rezone 216.6 hectares south of Marton from existing rural land into industrial.

The area is bounded by Wings Line, State Highway 1, Makirikiri Rd and the Main Trunk Railway.

Chief executive Ross McNeil said the council has had regular inquiries from people wanting to set up an industrial business but had not been able to offer or had very limited industrial areas.

"It is about providing an opportunity to process and develop industrial land in the district and to have options if people are looking for it," he said.

As part of a Regional Growth Study, economic development was one of nine outcomes included in the Rangitikei council's Long Term Plan.

McNeil said this was a large factor behind the proposal and to attract new industries, suitable land was needed.

"Instead of growing and processing plants here and then sending them elsewhere, we would be keeping them here and adding value to the land," he said.

The opportunity to develop a major freight and logistics hub could be on the cards if the land were to turn industrial.

"Due to the proximity near two main highways and the railway, the land is already there," McNeil said.

The current report states the majority of current sites zoned industrial are unsuitable for large-scale activities because of their fragmented nature, and size.

To accommodate timber processing and freight and logistics that requires biofuels production, warehousing and storage, both require large land areas.

Currently, the site is used for grain purposes and holds several storage buildings for farming equipment.

During July, the council is inviting written feedback on the proposal.

"We want to iron out or add any issues there may be and give people the opportunity to have their say.

"By knowing the thoughts around it we can make refinements," he said.

Feedback will be considered at the council's policy and planning committee meeting on August 8.

"We have to formally change the plan under the Resource Management Act, this is a step before that as we are looking to advance it and then put it to council," McNeil said.

Letters with feedback can be sent to the council at Private Bag 1102, Marton 4741 or via email at info@rangitikei.govt.nz