The developer behind a new commercial marina for Ōpōtiki in the Bay of Plenty is optimistic construction will begin next spring.

Ōpōtiki Marina and Industrial Park developer Chris Peterson says he has no plans to pursue fast-track consenting at this stage, despite being one of about 150 organisations invited by the Government to apply under new legislation expected to be introduced next month.

“We’ve spent more than two years negotiating this process with Whakatōhea and the six hapū. We feel we have made very significant progress,” he says.

“We’re not going to throw that away.”

OMAI was granted resource consent from Bay of Plenty Regional Council in June last year, to build a marina basin and an industrial precinct for marine activities on about 18 hectares of land at the western side of Ōpōtiki Harbour.

The project was an integral component of the larger Ōpōtiki Harbour development being constructed though partnership between Ōpōtiki District Council, Whakatōhea and central government to provide necessary infrastructure for the region’s aquaculture industry.

However, the marina has been contested in the Environment Court by Whakatōhea hapū Ngati Ira, which has customary rights over the area.

It is currently undergoing court-mandated mediation with the hapū.

“We are definitely committed to working with all the hapū groups of Whakatōhea and listening to their issues. There’s more work that the hapū groups have done to look at their cultural impact. They’ve been working with our technical planners and engineers and coming back with their own issues.

“The indications are that we can come to a consensus. There’s nothing that’s looking as though it is going to be a real impediment to us.”

The Fast-track Approvals Bill aims to speed up approvals for infrastructure and development projects of regional or national significance and reduce consenting costs.

Earlier this month, the government released a list of organisations it provided information to about applying for fast-track consents. OMAI was one of these.

“Although we’ve been put up by the Government into the fast-track process, that has not been initiated by us, and our choice firmly remains to stay with the progress that we have made in negotiating with the iwi and the hapū.

“We still have to get together and get this across the line, but I am genuinely optimistic that we’re very close to a settlement of all these issues.”

Planning work and geotech testing had progressed throughout the mediation process.

“We’re hoping, if we can get this settled this autumn or winter, we will be able to start earthworks in spring and summer.”

Ōpōtiki Marina and Industrial Park developer Chris Peterson.

The project is split into four stages, the first of which is expected to take less than a year to complete.

"Stage one will give us berthage for, not only mussel boats, but for other charter boats and such that may want to develop. We will get boat ramp access and an extensive water space to house boats to get them out of the river.”

While the planned commercial wharf is not part of this first stage, he says there is an option to create a temporary wharf for Whakatōhea mussel boats should they require it.

"We haven’t made a commitment to that because it depends on too many factors. But our project in the long-term will certainly have a sizable commercial wharf. We have access straight off the highway and plenty of room for trucks.

“The townspeople have pinned a lot of hope on this. There’s a heck of a lot of community support and a lot of iwi support and we don’t want them to lose hope and think it’s all fallen over.

“A lot of the jobs will get benefit will come out of this marina. There will be jobs for charter boats, there will be jobs for people to do maintenance on boats. These are high value jobs that will come to town because there’s this access to the deep water that there’s a shortage of right throughout New Zealand.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.