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The group representing more than 70 marine related businesses in Tauranga wants the marine precinct proposal to go ahead and says the issue is not over.
Tauranga Marine Industry Association chairman Brian Kent says the organisation will continue to work with other entities to see the Mirrielees Road marine proposal go ahead.
Tauranga Marine Industry Association chairman Brian Kent.
“We don’t see it as being over based on the decision made the other day by any means.
“The solution is still going to involve the same entities.”
Brian says TMIA has been working with Priority One on the harbour central marine precinct project for about eight years.
“There is always a way forward. I think in terms of how to get there, we have 70 marine industry related firms in our group putting in positive work and effort to try to find a public-sector private-sector partnership approach that would work.”
TMIA is a key player in the marine precinct proposal, working with Priority One from the early days, developing a concept plan and providing a lot of technical and business planning advice.
“Which has been great working closely with Priority One and with council,” says Brian.
More recently TMIA has been involved in similar discussion with the council appointed marine precinct taskforce.
“I think the way forward is really based on a council decision to provide long term security to the private sector entities that might be involved in it,” says Brian.
The planned marine precinct involves high set up costs as it requires a hard stand, which involves concreting most of the site between the waterfront and Mirrielees Road in order to take the weight of the 300 tonne Travelift and provide the yard space for the boats.
However, there is no real prospect of a return on the investment in the shorter term.
“You talking 75 years plus or possible ownership with covenants,” says Brian.
“It’s a straight up outlay with a return over time. There’s obviously business and capital risk in those decisions.
“With the right type of long term security to a developer or consortium in the industry, there is a viable proposition to stage into a long term result over there.”
Brian says discussions with council and Priority One have reinforced the TMIA belief the way forward involves a public/private partnership, which the current economic times have made more difficult.
“As an industry we don’t have to build the five star hotel from day one,” says Brian.
Brian says whatever the outcome, it will be a result of discussion between TMIA, council and Priority One.
Posted on 24-02-2012 13:56 | By murray.guy
This is the resolution I voted against, which has the ratepayers of our city (being ratepayers to TCC and the Regional Council), in principle, contributing at least $7 million. Trust me, you don’t want TCC and it’s EM’s as a partner if you can avoid it. I accept that the marine industry may not have asked for this ’handout’, but I can assure you Cr. Bill Faulkner and friends certainly did. The resolution reads: (a) That the CEO’s report be received ... (b) That the Council endorses the principle of providing the key infrastructure to establish Marine Precinct and requires a project plan and financial plan to be submitted to Council for approval, within two months.... (c) That the Draft 10 year plan show a contribution of $3million derived from property sales towards the project. ... (d)Than an approach be made to the BOP regional Council for a contribution to the provision of the Stage One Infrastructure, estimated at some $7million. END.