Damon is the editor and publisher of The Profit. Damon has over 20 years experience as a journalist, content developer, marketer and public relations specialist. Damon is a huge advocate for Hawke's Bay businesses and The Profit was created as a platform to celebrate HB businesses and business people. Damon is also a director of Attn! marketing pr - www.attn.co.nz alongside wife Anna Lorck. He is also a Hastings District Councillor and chairman of Sport Hawke's Bay.
In his spare time he loves surfing, mountain biking, crossfit and spending time with his family, which includes five girls! If you've got a great story contact Damon on 021 2886 772 or damon@theprofit.co.nz
+MORE, a business advisory and accountancy firm in Hawke’s Bay, believe every small and medium New Zealand business deserves access to business advice that is fuelled by technical capability and practical commercial experience.
That’s why their Hawke’s Bay team are here to provide local business owners with advice that has depth to support them through the challenges that come with being in business. Jess Tietjen & Sam Ogle are behind the +MORE team here in Hawke’s Bay. They advise clients on a wide range of business issues and are considered trusted partners when it comes to helping their clients succeed.
They are focused on providing advice that is practical, commercially driven, and the most relevant to the client. Invaluable support to Bay businesses Do you know your ‘why’ as a business owner?
An established business completed a business planning session with Jess recently after going years without having a plan in place. With no plan, the business owner lacked clarity around their future direction and what success looked like to them.
“One of the most important things that come out of our sessions is nailing down what success looks like for the business owner and looking into how they can make their business work for them, to achieve their versions of success, whatever that may be” says Jess. During the session they reviewed their past performance and future direction, as well as set realistic goals with clear strategies on how to achieve those goals. All these key learnings come together to make up their one-page business plan.
Following the session, the client now has clarity on what steps they need to take to achieve their version of success. To help stay accountable to the plan, Jess meets with the client every quarter to check in and help assist with any roadblocks or challenges along the way.
This is part of +MORE’s quarterly coaching service. A performance duo. Jess recently worked with a new client who felt they didn’t have a handle on how their business was performing at any given time.
“Many business owners find it hard to step out of the day to day running of their business and take that essential look into how it’s performing” says Jess.
Firstly, Jess worked with them to ensure their financial information in their accounting software was accurate and up to date. From there, they developed customised reports and dashboards that were meaningful and easily understandable to the client.
The dashboards are integrated with the client’s accounting software, which is in real time meaning the client can now access accurate and up to date information whenever they need it. This has been crucial to identifying issues before they become a major problem.
Pair dashboard reporting like this with +MORE’s quarterly coaching service and you have the perfect performance duo. +MORE’s quarterly coaching involves meeting every quarter to review reporting, assist with challenges, clarify areas for improvement, and develop a 90-day action plan to keep on track to achieving the client’s overall strategy.
Local firm with national strength and experience
“Being part of a nationwide firm means that we can tap into wider expertise if required, so we can continuously deliver the best outcomes for our clients.” says Jess. “Whether you’re an established business looking to grow or sell, or an entrepreneur just starting out, we can support you to achieve your goals through our extensive range of advisory services, while ensuring your tax requirements are well managed”. If you are an ambitious business owner and need an advisor that can coach you to success and help you reach your goals, then +MORE is the best place you can be.
Architecture HDT has added Kaweka Hospital to its impressive CV of technically complex projects. Architecture HDT architect director, Shaun Thompson-Gray says the firm has been involved in many projects within the health sector and is part the team working alongside project manager Nick Ward of PML and lead contractor, Gemco.
Architecture HDT was given the opportunity to design Kaweka Hospital based on its experience on other technically challenging projects particularly in health such as New Zealand’s largest GP practice, Hastings Health Centre, and the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s Renal facility.
Both of these projects involved directors of Westside Health, the umbrella company of Kaweka Hospital. They were impressed by our design process and examples of completed buildings.”
Tracey Thomson-Gray, who headed the design team, said “the brief was to create a state-of-the-art environment that improves the health and well-being of patients, visitors, and staff. A ‘biophilic design’, philosophy, which is about human kinds innate biological connection with nature, is achieved through physical and visual connections with nature, thermal and air-flow variability where appropriate, the presence of water (in the Stage 2 courtyard), the use of dynamic and diffuse light, biomorphic forms and patterns, and material connections with nature.
“Our initial response was to create a master plan allowing for the continual growth of a health campus set in landscaped grounds, featuring native plantings, with the complex divided into four quadrants – a vehicular axis connecting Canning Road (Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital) to Murray Place, and a pedestrian axis within a landscaped zone, pathways, rain gardens, an internal courtyard, public seating, sculptures, column carvings, and bicycle parking facilities.”
The overall form of the form of the building was inspired by the peaks of the Kaweka Range which are a significant Hawke’s Bay boundary condition. The solidity of the Kaweka Range is referenced through the roof form, brick cladding, and punched windows.
A counterpoint to the building’s solidity is the entry which is carved out of the solid form to create a glazed, light-filled, and welcoming space. Other key members of the HDT design team included Tom Nielson – who managed the technical aspects of the project and Emma Cox – who brings 19 years of hospital planning experience to the project.
“We are very happy with how the design elements of the building have come together and are most proud of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the board, staff, and visitors. Patients, visitors, and staff can now experience the architecture we have created to bring the clients brief to reality. www.architecturehdt.co.nz
A quick look at HDT
We are a mid-size architectural practice founded by Burwell Hunt and Mike Davies in 1994. The Hawke’s Bay office opened in 2008 with Shaun Thompson-Gray and Ian Nelson as founding directors. It has gone from strength to strength with a current team of 17. It also has offices in Wellington and Christchurch. We are a client-focused, innovative, design-oriented practice with strong technical skills capable of providing full architectural and project management services. We are committed to providing a positive influence in the creation of a sustainable future for our community.
Structural and civil engineering firm Kotahi hit the ground running when it opened its first North Island studio in Napier, having already completed stage one of Kaweka Hospital’s structural design. The project provided the perfect platform for senior structural engineer Aaron Kaijser to return home to Hawke’s Bay, after a decade of working in both the design consulting and construction space.
This included two years of postgraduate studies in the Netherlands and rebuild work in Christchurch where he first linked up with Kotahi, then named Structex. Projects such as the QEII Sport and Recreation centre, Lyttelton Port’s headquarters and multiple developments for Christchurch International Airport, were taken on during that time. After four years in the South Island and looking for a new challenge, the intrigue of returning to the Bay was too good to pass up.
“Hawke’s Bay is a vastly different place to the one I left as a teenager.I didn’t think returning in my early 30s was really on the cards given the traditionally limited opportunities in the regions. I’m happy to say that that thinking doesn’t hold up like it used to.”
Work aside, Aaron says that his American wife needed little convincing of moving to a warmer climate. While it might be a slight exaggeration to call the Hawke’s Bay climate “similar” to California, it is at least a step up from the cool South. While the idea of starting an office in Hawke’s Bay was his, Aaron says Kotahi’s leadership was open to the relocation. This was also about the time that he became a shareholder in the company.
“It reinforced the company’s guiding aspiration of seeing its people flourish, it aligned with Kotahi’s expertise in the wine sector and it coincided with a purple patch in the Hawke’s Bay economy as it was going from strength to strength, and continues to do so.” Aaron also identified an increasing complexity in new and existing builds, and the need for capable structural engineers as the impetus for growing an office in the bay — Kaweka Hospital being a prime example.
Coupled with that was the ability to attract returning talent and those who appreciate the lifestyle but don’t want to relinquish their career. Two of his office colleagues, Nick Bednarek and Martin Mendilaharzu, are a testament to this; Nick, a returning local, after working on some noteworthy building projects in London, and Martin, a likeminded engineer who jumped at the opportunity to live in the Bay while visiting from Argentina. With offices in Lyttelton (Christchurch), Blenheim and Napier, and some 25 engineers and draftsmen spread between, Kotahi has the nimbleness of a classic New Zealand SME but the scale to tackle large building projects.
Their well-regarded reputation is borne out of the winery sector, having worked with a significant proportion of the nation’s wineries. This encompassed master planning of new and existing facilities and high-level advisory on seismic risk to winery assets, through to their core business of providing structural engineering services. This backstory gave rise to Kotahi’s guiding aspiration of being the premier engineers in NZ’s winery regions.
Given the need for adaptive re-use of wastewater in viticulture and the complimentary role it plays to their core business, Kotahi added a civil/environmental component in 2021. This shores up their capability as a one-stop shop for their clients. However, wineries are but one arm of the business and in the last 5+ years, as the team has grown, Kotahi has taken on a much broader range of project sectors. This being driven by its clients and project partners.
Aaron says: “As our name suggests, we work together as one, so whether it be a residential lintel beam or a base-isolated hospital, our approach is to find the optimal solution for the project. This means we challenge conventional thinking when we need to, we work with a ‘yes’ attitude and we stay focused on the horizon, while always considering the landscape in between.”
When Aaron set himself a target of moving to Hawke’s Bay in August 2019, he spent the next several months looking at how to make it happen, including securing local-based projects. Kaweka Hospital came along prior to the move, a project which was set out over two stages; the first a $30M surgical building with four operating theatres followed by the larger and structurally more complex, Stage II, a 7000m2 four-storey building.
To expediate the construction programme, the structural documentation for the Stage I building consent took place more than four months prior to the architectural and building services packages that made up a larger portion of the overall building works. This required a significant amount of model co-ordination early on to ensure the various disciplines would align later. The same process has been followed for Stage II, given how well it worked for the contractor, Gemco Construction. Approximately 3000 design and construction monitoring hours were spent on Stage I and almost double that for Stage II with design largely complete and construction well underway.
Hospitals are unique in that they play a major role in the social and economic vitality of cities. The expectations on the performance and longevity of these buildings reflect that. Early on in the concept design phase, Kotahi guided the client through the building’s performance post-seismic event, effectively playing out the various situations that could occur with different size earthquakes.
“Given the significant investment in a building asset and the critical function a hospital plays in society, it was important for our structural design to align with client expectation.
“It sounds simple but if there’s one thing the Canterbury earthquakes taught the structural earthquake profession, it was the need for better communication around damage cost and repair time, not just life safety.”
Stage II took this perspective a step further with the introduction of what Aaron calls the “crème de la crème” in building performance with the introduction of base isolators. A technology that has been around for decades but only present in a handful of buildings in NZ, predominately in Wellington and Christchurch, and more so following the Canterbury earthquakes.
Kotahi also employed the use of innovative U.S.-developed software to confirm the building’s post-seismic performance, including its componentry, the first building in NZ to do so
at the time.
While an official rating from the U.S. Resiliency Council (USRC) was not formally pursued, the structural modelling and analysis indicated a 5-star platinum performance across all dimensions, with the ability to remain operational following a 1 in 500 year event, the same size event for which a typical office building is designed not to collapse (i.e. life safety only).
Other innovations such as a seismic sensoring system fitted to both buildings are likely to follow as the development progresses.
As Aaron looks at the completion of stage I, he’s equally impressed by the design outcome internally and externally as well as the strength of the structure.
“I am absolutely blown away by how good the interior looks, almost hotel-like. As much as structural engineers enjoy seeing the skeleton of their buildings go up, I have tremendous admiration for the work done by others to clothe it and make it the useable functional space it needs to be.”
The second stage, when it opens in late 2024 will set the new bench mark in earthquake resilience in the region and beyond. Aaron and the local Kotahi team have enjoyed being involved in the project, alongside the likes of Nick Ward as project manager and architects HDT, one that will benefit the community for many years to come.
“There’s a sense of pride in having the opportunity to be a part of this and knowing the positive impact it will have on the Hawke’s Bay community for years to come. Returning home after almost 15 years away and jumping straight into this project was a great way to kick things off.”
While keeping a close watch on the progress of Stage II, especially during the early stages as the base isolators are put in place, the Kotahi team have been busy on a range of other notable projects. This includes a multi-story logistics complex for Aramex in Napier, Centralines’s new 2600m2 headquarter in Waipukurau, a new supermarket in Havelock North and the restoration of the Napier War Memorial, along with many others.
After over five years of working in the dust, dirt and dark to rebuild Hawke’s Bay’s most recognisable building, Eddie Holmes was afforded the highest civic honour by the mayor of Hastings District Council Sandra Hazlehurst.
It was something unexpected when Gemco, Hawke’s Bay’s leading construction firm, was awarded the contract to strengthen, rebuild and refurbish the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in 2016, followed by the new Functions On Hastings and Municipal building.
For Eddie, who grew up enjoying shows and performances in the buildings, he knew he was embarking on what would be his great career highlight, to lead the $35 million rebuild. When it was officially opened in late July, Eddie was himself the star of the show, being recognised for his dedication to the project and instilling a high level of workmanship and pride by the over 200 trades people that delivered a stunning revival and re-invention of the complex now known as Toitoi Arts and Events Centre.
“I never expected the recognition I got at the re-opening of the Municipal Buildings. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be afforded such as significant compliment by a client, it was a huge surprise. Eddie was also quick to say that it was a team effort and he was well supported by the Gemco team and his project support Rudi Bauerfeind.
“It was tough, especially in breaking the building down in preparation to strengthen it. There was dust, dirt and a lot of noise for 18 months or more as we took the building apart. Concerned for the wellbeing of his team and other sub-contractors Eddie made sure the site had the highest level of health and safety, including regular health check-ups due to concerns about air quality caused by the smashing apart old concrete and bricks.
Today as Eddie enjoys a coffee outside one of the complex’s new hospitality offerings – Long Island Delicatessen, he reflects over the last five years and the outcome, which is significantly better than when it was forced to close over eight years ago.
“I was just ordering our coffees and a customer in the café recognised the Gemco branding on my shirt and said ‘well done – nice job’ and I take that as recognition of Gemco’s and wider teams commitment to the project, not for me as an individual.
At the official opening of the Municipal Buildings and Assembly Hall, Sandra Hazlehurst, as mayor bestowed Eddie the council’s highest recognition – a Hastings Civic Honour Award, reading out a testimonial from the project architect Justin Mathews of Mathews & Mathews.
It read – “Eddie is one of best construction managers I’ve had the privilege of working with. “Eddie could see the vision for the building and has been integral in achieving it. He would instinctively provide solutions on site that would fit with the design goals. The respect, care, and attention to detail given to the heritage qualities of the building through the construction is a testament to Eddie. “He also understands the importance of working together on complex challenging projects, and is well versed in doing so. He created an environment where challenges could be resolved through clear and honest communication. His years of experience shine through in his calm, methodical, and professional manner.
Sandra in presenting the award added “we are so lucky to have Eddie as our on-site leader. Your contribution and dedication to this project is truly outstanding. You have continually devised innovative solutions to what appeared to be insolvable problems.
So what’s next for Eddie? He’s built or rebuilt many high profile buildings but is now getting back on the tools to build a large new home in Napier.
“I’m keen to be more hands-on and get back on the tools. I haven’t done a house for a while and an opportunity has come up to build an amazing home in a stunning location, so I jumped at the opportunity.”
Gemco Construction project manager Graeme Johnson takes huge satisfaction in the completion of Stage 1 of Kaweka Hospital, knowing that it’s a vision of an idea by Hawke’s Bay people, built by Hawke’s Bay people and ultimately improves the health of Hawke’s Bay people.
“It’s going to change people’s lives and when we first heard that vision from Colin Hutchison, it was something that the team at Gemco wanted to be part of.
Graeme says a previous medical facility project, the new endoscopy facility across the road at the regional hospital helped pave the way for Gemco to secure the Kaweka Hospital build. It’s there that Graeme started a formidable partnership with project manager Nick Ward of PML which progressed to securing the construction of Hawke’s bay’s newest private hospital.
“We (Nick and I) formed a good working relationship on the public hospital project and that has continued here. Nick makes our job so much easier from chasing all the council documentation but also in a role that’s part lawyer, accountant and manager.
“He takes some of the pressure off me and our team, so that we can focus on what we do best – building. The Kaweka project started in March 2019, just as COVID-19 was arriving into the country and the initial four week setback from the enforced lockdown of the country.
However as Graeme looks back at the journey to complete Stage 1 and to commence Stage 2, a three-storey building, the delays in what has probably been the most difficult environment to build in, have been relatively minor.
He adds that one of the earliest challenges was the discovery of “rubbish” in the way of discarded and buried metal, wheels, car bodies and engines under the previous building on the site. During exploration and testing of the site to understand what was below the surface didn’t reveal the more than 3600 cubic metres of waste, as it was under the existing building.
“That was a big surprise as usually you wouldn’t expect anything under a building, it would have already been excavated back then, but that wasn’t the case here, so that added unexpected time and also cost to the project.
“We also had building material delays due to COVID but the other big delay was specialist medical equipment that was held up in Europe. But when you look back over the last two years, we ended up only being 8 weeks over the deadline, so that’s a big achievement for everyone involved.
Graeme and his team are now well underway on Stage 2, a 7000m2 complex that is set for completion late 2024-early 2025. A feature of the new building is technology that will see the building be one of the most earthquake proof in New Zealand. For Graeme, the start of Stage 2 and the introduction of base isolators, the technology that will ensure that the building is still operational after a major earthquake, is part commencement of another exciting new build project but the next stage of what will end up being over 5 years on a construction site.
“I think a new build best suits my skill base and I really enjoy starting something new, discovering what lies beneath the ground and then setting about building a new structure and then bringing it to life. Overall the entire Kaweka Hospital project is only about one third complete and after Stage 2 is complete, Gemco will move back to the Stage 1 building to build on the connectivity between the two buildings.
“Yeah we’re here for some time yet. The hospital will be a huge success in what it offers the community, so no doubt there will be additional builds as it grows.
Local business leaders and local specialists have partnered to open a new independent community-led Hospital in Hastings. Stage 1, an investment of over $40 million, with four operating theatres and 10 inpatient beds opened at the end of August and Stage 2, of over $60 million, when completed in late 2024 will create a state of the art health campus.
Kaweka Hospital’s managing director, Colin Hutchison says the first stage of two stages, opened with four operating theatres and 10 inpatient beds and a team of 40 surgical and non-surgical specialists offering ENT (ear, nose and throat), general surgery, gynaecology, urology, ophthalmology and gastroenterology supported by a further 75 staff including technicians, nurses, and wider support staff.
The hospital is a joint venture investment by medical specialists and management along with local families dedicated to increasing accessibility to health care in the region. Stage 2’s 6000m2 complex adds a new radiology suite with MRI, CT and Breast imaging and a new cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Colin says Kaweka Hospital brings on stream over 5000 surgical procedures a year into the local healthcare sector, giving greater choice in private surgery as well as much needed support to the public surgery register.
“Kaweka Hospital will ensure more Hawke’s Bay residents can get access to surgical procedures faster, which ultimately improves the health and well-being of the region.
“Together, this dedicated and highly experienced team are focussed on delivering exceptional surgical care, using the latest technology in a modern purpose-built private hospital.
The overall construction of Stage 1 and 2 has been overseen by Nick Ward of PML, who said the completion of the first stage was hit by ‘never seen before’ challenges.
“It has been a challenging ride navigating the Covid lockdowns, worker absenteeism, supply chain disruption, industry shortages, and an over-heated construction market – but together we got there. He added that the focus was now on completing the Stage 2 medical facility currently in construction.
“We are excited to be managing the first base-isolated building in Hawke’s Bay providing resilient construction to serve multiple generations to come. The hospital has a contract for service to provide surgical provision for the region’s public hospital. “The private health sector is here to support the public sector.
Although the public sector provides the bulk of healthcare, as a partner to Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) we can also provide some public capacity. Kaweka Hospital board chairman and ENT specialist Mr Stephen Toynton says the idea of a new private hospital for Hawke’s Bay was due to the desire of a group of senior local doctors to increase access to healthcare facilities.
“Most private hospitals are part of larger organisations and consequently they are not owned by people within their communities, this means there is a lack of local decision making, direction and connectivity.
“As a group of local doctors we thought outside of the box to solve the problem, designing a new model and standard in surgical care and have been joined in partnership with some incredible Hawke’s Bay families that supported the project.
“Our surgeons and anaesthetists wanted to guide this project for the future of Hawke’s Bay and that is easier by keeping the hospital in local ownership and governance. He adds that the hospital features the latest in healthcare technology, modern layout and design by New Zealand’s leading Health Planner Ruth Whitehead and local architects – Architecture HDT.
The cancer care clinic in Stage 2 will be operated by Canopy Healthcare Group, which is the largest North Island diagnostic imaging provider with its TRG Imaging brand while its Canopy Cancer Care company is the largest private medical oncology provider in New Zealand.
Canopy Healthcare Group Chief Executive, Tony Moffatt, says the $10 million clinic will be a first of its kind in New Zealand – a full service imaging, consultation and oncology treatment centre offering state-of-the-art MRI and CT scanning technology and specialist oncology treatment under “one roof”.
“We are introducing more MRI and CT capacity into the Bay and for patients it means earlier diagnosis, world class imaging and immediate cancer treatment, all in the region.
“Presently people going through non-DHB chemotherapy have to travel out of Hawke’s Bay to receive their treatment, which can be stressful and physically demanding, they then return home before going through the same thing again three weeks later.
The new three-storey building features the Rolls Royce of seismic design and earthquake proofing – using “base isolation” technology, which is a first for buildings in Hawke’s Bay.
The technology enables the facility to remain fully functional following a large seismic event providing assurance to Kaweka Health and the wider community in a time when it may be needed.
It’s not as plain and simple as it seems – to protect the region’s fertile plains while also ensuring our growing population all have roofs over their heads and businesses, especially within the food processing sector, have storage, processing and packing facilities.
Hawke’s Bay has enjoyed significant population growth, especially over the last few years, and with it has come urban sprawl along with overwhelming demand for new industrial/commercial areas. You only have to drive to the outer reaches of Havelock North to notice land that was once in orchards has now been converted into residential housing, or drive south of Hastings to the relatively new Irongate Industrial Zone, which was anticipated to be at capacity in 20 years but will be at capacity in half that time.
Population growth, new businesses establishing in the region or existing businesses super-scaling their complexes portray economic success and a sense of parochial pride, but it’s also coming at a cost – especially to what many regard as the ‘golden goose’ – that being the highly productive Heretaunga Plains, which coupled with a favourable growing climate position Hastings and Hawke’s Bay as the food producing capital of New Zealand.
As more and more pressure comes on the need for housing solutions, there’s huge pressure to protect the Plains, with a group of primary sector identities keeping a close watch on resource consent applications and urging for a regional spatial plan. On the other side are landowners, developers and land-use consultants, who are also seeking guidance from local councils to identify land that could be built on.
A recent soil symposium led by Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council attempted to tackle the issue; however, depending on what side of the fence you sit on, it simply further raised the issue but will take time to deliver any changes. The symposium aimed at building an understanding of the nature and value of the soils that will help inform future planning and decision-making.
It covered a range of perspectives and ideas, including the importance of the Plains to growers and mana whenua, scientific information on the soils resource
and threats to it, all of which must be considered when forming a planning framework for protecting Hawke’s Bay’s productive lands into the future.
Richard Gaddum of the Save the Fertile Soils group says, “it was a wonderful event; a day totally devoted and dedicated to the fertile soils on the Heretaunga Plains.” However, in his view, the symposium was about 50 years too late.
“Some say it should have been done 100 years ago; however, we were and are so delighted that it happened and that our most precious resource has been given the importance it most certainly deserves.”
Landowner John Roil, who has developed land in Irongate for his business interests as well as for other businesses, believes that the symposium was too controlled and lacked balance from the development community.
“There is no doubt that the highly productive soils need to be protected and a significant amount of work has been done over the years to identify the various types of soil.
“Once the highly valued land is identified, then further decisions can be made as to what other parcels of land is available for development.”
Many would agree with some of the solutions being mooted, such as medium and high-density housing, inner-city living and infill developments, along with identifying land in the foothills for residential development.
“The development of land in the hills surrounding Hastings seems to be a no-brainer, though the costs associated with this type of development need
to be developed further to ensure the benefits are correctly identified and communicated to the wider public, including the likely costs to develop,” says John.
Richard and his group have offered up some areas to consider such as Te Awanga, where a satellite town could be created; using unproductive land southwest of Flaxmere for both industrial and residential developments; and the lower hills of Havelock North.
“Long-term vision is required by all parties to look at the bigger picture and into the future to preserve these incredibly fertile soils for future generations. Our short-term solutions are just not sustainable.”
John is equally committed to protecting as much of the fertile soils as possible but warns that councils will need to meet some of the costs of developing on land that’s more difficult to service infrastructure, such as three waters and roading.
“Any development should be balanced against the financial costs to expand and if the wider costs have some community benefit then council could contribute to the infrastructure and roading to make it affordable.
“Currently, developers pay 100 percent of the costs with councils collecting the additional rates into their pool of income without any form of contribution.
“It may be time that council reconsider its involvement with development in order to balance the community’s desire to protect the valued land resource on the Heretaunga Plains.”
John would welcome another symposium or meeting with greater involvement from the developer community to assist councils develop a long-term plan.
“It may be surprising to hear that the two groups share more in common than one would imagine.”
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says that with Hawke’s Bay being the largest apple-producing region in the country, and the second-largest wine producer after Marlborough, it demonstrates the importance of the Plains to horticulture and viticulture, and the importance of those industries to our region.
“Our economic success is underpinned by the great produce grown and processed by our producers and exported to the rest of the world. Its economic value to our region is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
“That wouldn’t happen without our superb Heretaunga Plains land and water resources, and our fantastic growing climate that makes them even more special.” However, Sandra acknowledges it is important to develop a new strategy that balances future growth while protecting land resources.
“But this economic success creates pressures and threats to the land resource. Together with Napier City and the Regional Council, we are about to prepare a Future Development Strategy for the Heretaunga Plains area, which will cover how we accommodate future growth while protecting our land resources for the future. “These strategies are essential in determining how we will manage growth and protect our soils for the future.
Importantly, they will allow our communities a say in how the various pressures on our soil resources should be managed.”
Outgoing Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chair Rick Barker says the region’s soils took nature millions of years to create.
“They are nature’s gift that must be protected. We humans cannot create them, and they won’t come again. These soils fuel our horticulture, viticulture and agricultural sectors. It’s on these soils that we have built our wealth.
“A growing population has driven urban expansion, putting irreplaceable soils under houses, factories, concrete and tarmac. If this expansion doesn’t stop we will have smothered the goose that lays golden eggs.
“Local government must protect these irreplaceable soils and must redirect development elsewhere. Accommodation must go up, not out.
“Protecting the environment and these fertile soils has to be a non-negotiable, no compromise, a number-one priority transcending any and all of the individual interests of developers and landowners. “We must accept that we are temporary guardians of the land, and that the land will be here for countless generations to follow. Our gift to future generations must be the land in its best state of preservation.”
One of Hawke’s Bay’s largest pipfruit growers, Paul Paynter from The Yummy Fruit Co, says productivity has increased hugely over the last decade due
to new growing methods, smart AI technology and labour efficiency.
“Yields from modern orchards are up about 60 percent on what we produced 10 years ago and will only be more efficient and technologically smarter. “Already orchards are more labour-friendly and respond better to targeted irrigation and the strategy is to make them ‘robot ready’, which is a way off yet but certainly the use of unmanned tractors and ground-based drones is already here.
“AI is also making it more focused – I’ve seen a drone that looks for and identifies weeds for spraying, rather than just spraying everywhere.”
Above all though, Paul says visiting growers from overseas marvel at what local growers produce.
“I’ve had many growers from Belgium or Germany who don’t believe the numbers I show them and marvel at what we can do. It’s simply not possible there.
“Our benign climate, long growing season, fertile soils, modest rainfall, excellent drainage and flood control, good water-holding capacity of the soils, a healthy aquifer and high light intensity are all key factors.”
Paul says, “we can’t go back and correct the wrongs of the past, including building Hastings on the best soils in the world, but we do know where bad soil is and where new residential development can be.
“There isn’t much good soil in Napier and certainly south of Hastings is poor, from Flaxmere to Pakipaki. Also along the Tukituki and Te Awanga area is poor.
“I think the establishment of a new community is wise for expansion but a big project. I like the idea of employing all the new technology for water, sewerage, drainage attenuation, power and the like to make for lower impacts on the environment. It’s easier to do this on a new subdivision than it is to retrofit.”
A record $190,000 has been raised for a new hospice from the Hastings Karamu Rotary Cocktail Party held in July.
Hastings Karamu Rotary Cocktail Party lead Angus Thomson announced the final funds raised at a function with Karamu Rotary members and event sponsors last night in Hastings.
He said nearly doubling the previous record of $100,000, set in 2018 for charity Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust is a fantastic achievement and is due to the close connection many of our community has to Cranford Hospice.
“Many of us have had a family member, friend or colleague that has been cared for by Cranford. It has touched us all and that’s why we had a great turnout at the cocktail party and why people dug deep into their pockets for such a vital community service.”
The cocktail party and gala auction was held at Bostocks Winery, Ngatarawa, Bridge Pa in July.
Cranford Hospice Foundation Chairman Chris Tremain said everyone involved with Cranford including staff, volunteers and patients and their families are incredibly grateful for the continued support from dedicated fundraising events such as the Cocktail Party as well as donations, sponsorships and bequests.
“We are humbled by the support from our Hawke’s Bay community. The Karamu Rotary has dedicated their biggest fundraiser to Cranford Hospice this year and in 2023, and we are thrilled and overwhelmed by the record contribution.
Cranford Hospice is edging closer to the $15 million target to build a new hospice on 5.8 hectares of land donated by Joan Fernie Charitable Trust in Chesterhope Road, Pakowhai. So far $13.6m has been raised.
The new hospice is now at final design and costings stage. Building consent will be sought early next year with the target of a new hospice opening at the end of 2024.
Cranford invites the community to visit the idyllic site of the new hospice and experience the beauty of the established gardens at the Open Day being held from 10am-3pm this Sunday, 9th October.
Mike and Steph Russell have come up with the perfect add-on to their residential rental property business, that not only offers a solution to their own portfolio, but also other property owners and those needing an additional bedroom or office.
The couple have been property investors since 2008, purchasing ‘do ups’ in Hastings and Flaxmere and doing the hard yards themselves to make their rental homes warm and tidy for their tenants.
As their portfolio grew providing houses to both the private rental market as well as via a partnership with Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga to provide Transitional Housing for families, they identified that potential tenants needed an additional bedroom.
“We purchased run down properties that required renovations, which we completed ourselves in the evenings and weekends, creating a portfolio that we’re very proud of and that are all Healthy Homes compliant.
“In recent years we have started to get enquiries from some of our current tenants or prospective, needing an extra bedroom, so we started looking for solutions.
The Russell’s had two options – building an additional room on to existing houses or looking for a less permanent alternative.
Building a room was restrictive and a slower process – potentially requiring a resource consent, then a building consent and in recent times there’s been a shortage of building materials and labour shortages.
As well as creating a passive income stream through a housing portfolio, Mike has been a commercial pilot for Air New Zealand and Jet Star, while Steph works in the technical and quality space within the pipfruit industry. Mike was made redundant as a pilot when Jet Star closed its Hawke’s Bay service and has transitioned from planes to trucks, using his skills in the air to on the ground as a truck driver over recent COVID-19 times.
The couple, who enjoy a challenge and working together for solutions, saw cabins as a viable alternative. A cabin could easily be moved on to a property and be up and running very quickly. If the existing tenants moved out, and the new tenants didn’t need the extra room, it could easily be moved to another property.
“We started doing some research and we came across a cabin builder and hire business in Hamilton and he wasn’t interested in the Hawke’s Bay market, so we decided to partner with him.
“We didn’t want a cheap product that wouldn’t last and we were really impressed by the wood paneling, the insulation is amazing as is the double glazing.”
The Russell’s purchased a trailer from their cabin supplier and then their initial order of twelve 4.2m by 2.4m cabins.
They have a target of having a fleet of around 40 cabins. Any surplus cabins can easily be stored at their Bridge Pa property.
“We are very confident that the cabins will be popular as an ‘at home office’ or as the extra bedroom on a rental property or within the horticulture sector for worker accommodation.
“The key for us is to make sure that property owners are happy for an additional building on their properties, so we will ensure that the correct processes are done. It’s certainly a benefit that we are rental property owners ourselves, so we can provide good information and share our experiences.”
Steph says that finding a quality cabin build partner was the easy part, now it was time to create an identity for the cabins and market them to other property owners, investors and accommodation providers.
“How hard could it be … what we didn’t know too much about was building awareness of our new business via social media and advertising.
The biggest challenge so far has been coming up with a memorable brand name.
“We were struggling and every name we thought of we would check the website domain address and they were all gone.
Our IT provider Bruce from Herbert, Harrison and Associates came up with the observation that when people are referring to a destination they say ‘those houses down the road’ and he said why not name the business ‘those cabins’.
It was not too long ago that school leavers were leaving Hawke’s Bay in their droves. Tempted by big city lights and the promise of high-flying careers, the region was, at the time, seemingly lacking the opportunity, and the excitement to keep the twenty-somethings around.
In recent years, however, thanks to some long-term thinking and perhaps risky business moves by many key individuals and Councils, Hawke’s Bay is flourishing.
In part due to the mass migration away from the big cities and the influx of business opportunities that have come with it.
One such business contributing significantly to both the region’s workforce, and its built environment, is local commercial property management software company, Re-Leased.
Founded in 2012 by Hawke’s Bay local Tom Wallace, it has now gone global with offices in Australia, America, UK and New Zealand, but retains its Research and Development hub, employing over 60 people, in Napier.
Released partnership with Dev Academy
“When we created Re-Leased in 2012, the business community and certainly the tech industry was limited within the region,” says Tom. “But being locals, we knew what Hawke’s Bay had to offer from a lifestyle and staff satisfaction standpoint, so we committed to maintaining a considerable presence here to help grow the opportunity and showcase that you can build big business from the regions, and sell to customers anywhere in the world.”
Re-Leased’s commitment to the region has gone a lot further than simply maintaining office space. Recognising that the local tech talent pool was not going to sufficiently meet their growth projections, and having their international pipeline cut off at the knees post the 2020 border closure, the team took a different approach. They doubled down on growing the Hawke’s Bay tech sector by offering the opportunity for locals to train to be coders – free of charge.
Partnering with Dev Academy, New Zealand’s most immersive online coding course, Re-Leased were able to utilise the Government Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF), which supports learners undertaking vocational training without fees.
“While we had already developed, and continue to maintain a successful relationship with EIT, regularly taking on their interns and graduates, we felt the time was right to kick things up a notch and take things into our own hands.”
The 15-week intensive course takes those with an interest in coding and turns them into work-ready developers.
“Hosting the Hawke’s Bay cohorts for the Dev Academy has been fantastic for our Junior Developer pipeline. It has allowed us to offer several full-time placements to graduates every year, and it also contributes significantly to the woefully understaffed tech industry for the region as a whole.”
“The aim really is to create opportunity and options for Hawke’s Bay’s job seekers, so that they don’t necessarily believe they have to leave this amazing region to get a good job.”
This significant growth has seen Re-Leased hit maximum capacity at their Ahuriri Tech Hub offices and hence, they are currently collaborating with local commercial property development company, and family business, Wallace Development, to create something special on Marine Parade.
“Napier CBD has come a long way from a few years ago when there was the mass exodus of commercial business over to Ahuriri.”
“It is now a vibrant and busy town centre, and we are excited to bring the team across the hill and have them make the most of what the town has to offer.”
Located at 126 Hastings Street, the building that formerly housed BNZ is being restored to its former glory, with a stunning Art Deco inspired fit out, ground level retail and hospitality, commercial space, car parking and the long awaited rooftop bar.
With remote working at an all-time high post-Covid, developments such as this are embracing change and evolving our towns into people-centred “experience” hubs.
“What we’ve seen post-Covid is that many people became too comfortable working from their kitchen table. In order to get people excited about coming to work, we need to create environments that people want to be in.”
“Sure that’s the cool office space, but it’s also the amenities around it – how far is the best coffee in town? Where’s a great spot to meet mates for a beer after work? With 126 Hastings Street, we have managed to create that all in one place, with the added value of having a view of the Pacific Ocean from your desk.”
Tom’s commitment to the evolution of the region goes far beyond the success of his own business.
“The hope is that we are contributing to creating a sustainable Hawke’s Bay that locals love.”
