Latest news with #RegionalInfrastructureFund
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Canterbury Water Storage Boost A ‘Gamechanger' For Farmers
A $56.4m Government investment in water storage and irrigation will be ''a gamechanger'' for Canterbury farmers, the Associate Regional Development Minister says. Minister Mark Patterson said three Canterbury water storage and irrigation projects will receive loans from the Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund. Mr Patterson made the announcement at the Taggart family's woolshed at Cust, on a rainy Thursday morning (July 3). The Balmoral water storage facility run by the Amuri Irrigation Company (AIC) will receive $20m, Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd (WIL) will receive $15.6, and the Opuha Dam and irrigation scheme in South Canterbury $20.8m. Mr Patterson, who was joined by Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey, Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith and Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon, said the announcement was ''a momentous day for Canterbury''. ''It strengthens water resilience and unlocks new economic opportunities. ''Access to reliable manageable water is a gamechanger to our primary sector.'' Mr Gordon said WIL's proposed 8.2 million cubic metre water storage facility at Wrights Road, near Oxford, has been in the pipeline for nearly 20 years. ''WIL is not just an irrigation scheme. It is a lifeline for our region, irrigating an impressive 23,000ha and supporting around 170 shareholders. ''It is one of the largest schemes in the South Island, and its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable water management is commendable.'' Mr Gordon said WIL's biodiversity projects had uncovered rare species like the Canterbury mudfish and tadpole shrimp, which shows investment in irrigation could have positive environmental outcomes. WIL chief executive Brent Walton said his company's shareholders included a mix of lifestyle blocks, and sheep, cropping and dairy farmers. He said the $15.6m loan was the boost needed to kickstart the project. ''The key thing is it benefits all types of farmers, and it is about the future of the district and the benefits we will bring to future generations.'' Mr Walton said water storage could enhance rivers and groundwater and be used for other uses beyond irrigation. Work on the new facility will begin next year and expected to be completed for the 2028/29 season. AIC chairperson David Croft said his company plans to build a pond to store up to 10 million cubic metres of water and can be used in the winter and shoulder seasons, using existing resource consents. ''It is quite clear the rural sector is leading the New Zealand economy, and this investment can help our economic recovery. ''And we will end up with a great asset for the whole of North Canterbury.'' The company has 132 shareholders covering 28,000ha across three water schemes, including 60 percent dairy farming, and the rest a mix of dairy support, sheep and beef, and cropping. Opuha Water Ltd chief executive Bjorn Triplow said the investment will help fund the upgrade of the Opuha Dam. ''Beyond its role in supporting sustainable farming, the dam has catalysed growth in downstream industries, delivering an annual net economic benefit of $315m to the South Canterbury region.'' Mr Triplow said the dam also provided a safeguard in extreme weather events, such as the 2021 flood. Enterprise North Canterbury chief executive Heather Warwick said the investment will unlock land for irrigation, boosting productivity and creating jobs. ''Water is a gamechanger for our farmers. They say water is gold in farming,'' she said. Enterprise North Canterbury is the economic development arm of the Waimakariri and Hurunui district councils. But Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe described the investment as ''a dirty deal for dirty water''. ''It is deeply irresponsible to use public money to fund the expansion of these irrigation schemes, which will lead to more intensive dairy, more cows, and more pollution.''
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Government invests $56.4m in Canterbury water storage, irrigation for farmers
A $56.4 million Government investment in water storage and irrigation will be 'a gamechanger' for Canterbury farmers, the Associate Regional Development Minister says. Minister Mark Patterson said three Canterbury water storage and irrigation projects will receive loans from the Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund. Patterson made the announcement at the Taggart
Scoop
23-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Regional Infrastructure Fund Backs Solar Energy
Three solar projects in regional New Zealand will receive loans of up to $28.1 million combined from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to ensure security of local energy supply and community resilience, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Energy Minister Simon Watts say. 'The loans for these projects in Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Rakiura/Stewart Island will allow them to get under way this year, helping them to improve economic prosperity and resilience. They will also create up to 150 jobs during construction,' Mr Jones says. 'These projects support the Coalition Government's objective of doubling renewable energy generation by 2050 and enabling a more reliable and affordable electricity supply for regional New Zealand,' Mr Watts says. The three projects are: Rakiura/Stewart Island – a suspensory loan of up to $15.35m to Southland District Council to build the first stage of a solar farm, and network upgrades, replacing high-cost, diesel-generated electricity for the island's 494 permanent electricity connections Ongaonga, Hawke's Bay – a loan of up to $8m to local lines company Centralines Ltd to build a 35ha solar farm to generate 52GW annually and provide about 9000 electricity connections in Central Hawke's Bay with a local source of generation Te Kaha, Bay of Plenty – a loan of up to $4.75m to Te Huata Charitable Trust to build an 804kW-peak solar farm to ensure reliable electricity supply to about 320 homes and businesses. The Rakiura/Stewart Island project is expected to reduce diesel consumption by 200,000 litres within two years of beginning. During construction, about 40 high-skilled workers will be required. When complete, more competitive energy costs will help business growth on the island including in aquaculture, tourism and hospitality. The Ongaonga solar farm will improve electricity network resilience and support more competitive pricing for residents and commercial customers. Power could also be supplied to the national grid at peak generation. About 80-100 roles are expected to be needed during construction. The Te Kaha project will provide more reliable, competitively priced power for a Māori community that regularly suffers electricity outages. The solar farm battery will have storage capacity for up to 72 hours which will protect the community from power outages. Reliable power will also help the Ōpōtiki region with its bid to be an aquaculture centre of national significance. During construction, up to 12 people will be employed. "Solar power is playing an increasingly important role in increasing electricity generation in New Zealand. It will help us reach our renewable energy targets and bolster the security and affordability of our energy supply,' Mr Watts says. 'The Government has been making great progress on a series of exciting new solar and battery initiatives recently. I look forward to seeing these three projects make a real difference for these communities." Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson travelled to Rakiura for the announcement today. He said the project should lead to considerable savings for residents. 'The Regional infrastructure Fund is contributing to energy security where communities cannot gain investment from other sources, and there are wider benefits for the communities,' Mr Patterson says. The Regional Infrastructure Fund is a capital fund with the primary purpose of accelerating infrastructure projects, particularly with a focus on water storage, energy, and resilience, which will make a difference in the regions. Funding is approved in principle and announced, after which contracts are negotiated. Some funding may depend on completion of business cases. Payments are made once agreed milestones are met. These are set as part of contract negotiations and differ from project to project.
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Bay's wharf upgrade to stay in long-term plan
The wharf at Jackson Bay could be upgraded. PHOTO: ODT FILES A $4 million upgrade of the Jackson Bay wharf — the only deep-sea port on the West Coast — may be a contender for co-funding with the government. However, councillors remain split over whether more investment is warranted. The road leading into Jackson Bay is also a headache for the Westland District Council, after slips reactivated in November are expected to take years to settle. The future security of the entire Haast-Jackson Bay Rd has been included in a bid to the government's Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF), at its request. It forms part of package of potential investment supporting the wharf as a critical asset. In a recent update to councillors, Mayor Helen Lash said an upgrade of the aged Jackson Bay wharf was originally going to be part of the RIF application put forward with the Hokitika Airport upgrade. "We took it out to eliminate the risk of having the airport turned down ... but [government funding agency] Kanoa have come back and asked us to re-present that." Almost $10m of RIF co-funding was announced for the airport upgrade this year by way of a suspensory loan. If successful, the Jackson Bay project would be secured in the same way. Mrs Lash said the application was now past the second stage of assessment, and they expected to have a decision at the end of June. Letters of support from the fishing industry and community groups had gone in with the application. The $3.9m sought covered a "grand plan" for the wharf to see it was strengthened according to a report paid for by Fiordland Lobster, she said. A fixed crane, launching ramp for recreational fishers and a tolled carpark around the site that Talley's leased from the council was proposed. Mrs Lash said they had also included the Haast-Jackson Bay special purpose road in the funding bid. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi funding has been secured for the link, which is now dotted with active slips, until 2027. PHOTO: ODT FILES "We have asked it be considered as staying in the picture in all perpetuity, rather than have that challenged, or ... being removed," the mayor said. "It's a big ask and we've been ballsy with the ask but we've got nothing to lose with it." She said the application — done at the "very sudden" request of the government's regional economic development and investment unit Kanoa — also had the support of the National Emergency Management Agency as the only deep-sea port on the Coast. More than 70% of submitters to the council's draft long-term plan backed external investment in the port, largely for the role it would have in a Civil Defence response. The other options offered in the draft plan were closing it, or selling it to a commercial interest. Crs Jane Neale, Steven Gillett and Patrick Phelps voted against any more money being spent on the wharf. Iwi representative Paul Madgwick said any government funding would come with strings attached. "Newsflash: Kanoa are not Santa Claus. They expect a big contribution before they give out any cash." Major safety upgrades, including structural beam and decking repairs on a large section of the pier, were completed with $1m of government funding in 2020. However, outstanding repairs remain. The majority of councillors eventually agreed to leave the wharf upgrade in the long-term plan — subject to shoring up external funding. They could still decide later to potentially sell the wharf. Cr Madgwick said its fate could be out of the council's hands at any time. "God might make that decision for us ... once that slip goes big time." — Hokitika Guardian By Janna Sherman
NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Kaitāia Airport bridge work delayed
The detour in place is along Donald Rd. Motorists travelling to the airport will need to travel through Kaitāia and follow the route. It is about the same distance from Kaitāia to the airport and includes 3km of gravel road on Quarry Rd, but the detour and delays have upset some locals. Camuso said February was the original proposed start date for the bridge project. However, this was delayed for various reasons including upgrading the detour road to better handle more traffic and to carry out dust suppression. ''We also kept one lane of the bridge open for an extra week at the start of the project at the community's request rather than closing the entire thing. 'These factors collectively meant the new start date was effectively March 13,'' he said. ''Since then, we have had rain delays of approximately two weeks with the site very exposed because we are working in a river that is subject to rain and flooding. 'There were an additional two days of high wind delays while working with a crane. 'There was also a geotech delay of another several days because (we) needed to drill deeper than test drilling had originally indicated.' Camuso said the contractor is working long hours and weekends and fabricating some steel work in the shop and transporting to site to save time. There is no additional cost to the council as the project is a fixed price contract, he said. Funding for the upgrade - which is part of the regional council's wider multi-million dollar Awanui Flood Scheme improvements - comes from the Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund for consented priority flood resilience projects that will protect land and assets during severe weather. Altogether $660,000 comes from the fund, and $440,000 from the regional council. The work will fix a 'pinch point' in the flood scheme and will take place in two phases. The first section of the work will allow for earthworks underneath a proposed 15m extension of the bridge - which will open an additional 12m span - and support the wider Awanui scheme. The extra span on the bridge will reduce the risk of flooding to surrounding houses and the Awanui township. A second section of work will involve construction of the bridge extension. Removing the flood 'pinch point' should help prevent the town and nearby area from flooding in extreme weather events.
