Monday 30 May 2016

Major projects planned to improve and help prepare Horowhenua for growth

A significant amount of work is on Horowhenua District Council’s agenda for the coming year.

This includes large spends on infrastructure to help prepare the District for the expected population and business growth, as a result of the Wellington Northern Corridor state highway upgrades.

Horowhenua District Mayor Brendan Duffy says that in readiness it is vital that local infrastructure is the best it can be.

“In the next 10 to 15 years we’ll be seeing up to 10,000 new people move to Horowhenua, a new house built every working day on average, more and more new businesses and over a 1000 additional jobs created,” he said.

“We have fantastic statistical data that shows we are on a trajectory that we haven’t seen since the 1970s. Though this is exciting, the opportunities also come with challenges. And, we must be ready.”

All the work is outlined in the 2016-2017 Annual Plan due to be adopted by Council at its meeting this Wednesday. The Annual Plan is based on year two of Council’s 2015-2025 Long Term Plan and includes the services, activities and projects planned for the year, as well as how much they are expected to cost.

One major project will see Council invest $4.1 million to upgrade the stormwater network in north-east Levin, identified as an area for future residential growth, with potential to develop between 650 and 700 sections.

Mayor Duffy says that unfortunately some properties in the area experience stormwater issues during large rainfall events.

“Their soak-pits are not able to discharge the rainwater run-off fast enough and as a result the roads outside their properties act as flood ponds. To allow for further development in this area, we need to make a significant investment in the stormwater network there, to address the problems and ensure they don’t compound over time,” he said.

Council has also allocated $3.6 million to upgrade the Levin Water Treatment Plant and enhance the town’s drinking water quality. These works will complement the recently-completed new water reservoir and will ensure that the Levin supply meets the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards.

Mayor Duffy says other key projects include the “long overdue” Foxton Main Street upgrade to improve safety and make the street more pedestrian-friendly and attractive. The physical works for the $1.5 million project are expected to start either July or August.

Also in Foxton’s town centre, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom will be another major project over the coming year, with construction set to begin next month and completed by mid-to-late 2017.

“This fantastic new facility will be unlike anything else in New Zealand. It will serve as a community centre for Foxton and the surrounding area; with a range of services including library, cultural and heritage activities, visitor information, community development as well as bookable community spaces. On top of this it will be home to the Piriharakeke Generation Inspiration Centre and Dutch Connection Centre,” Mayor Duffy said.

Council intends to upgrade the Foxton Wastewater Treatment Plan, subject to resource consent approval. The proposed upgrade will mean that treated wastewater from this plant will be discharged to land rather than into the Foxton Loop of the Manawatu River. This will mean that 100 percent of the District’s treated wastewater will be discharged to land.

Operational budgets for the 2016-2017 year will be similar to what was proposed for Year 2 of the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (LTP).

“The good news is we have been able to propose a rate increase of 5.43% which is below the increase that had been proposed in the LTP,” Mayor Duffy said.

The minor deviations include reducing the Parks and Property budget, due to annual savings of $250,000 as a result of contracts. There will be an increase in spending in areas including Economic Development and Regulatory Services in response to the predicted population and economic growth.

ENDS

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