However, the project was opposed by a mana whenua group from Te Kurī ā Tuatai Marae, near the site.
Māori ward councillor Nick Tupara said the council had not been “the best neighbour” to the Rongowhakaata iwi and the hapū Ngāi Tāwhiri and Te Whānau a Iwi, to whom the marae belongs, for some time.
Marae representatives expressed concerns about the site’s proximity, visual and auditory impacts, odour, increased traffic, potential effects on the Waikanae awa [river] and ongoing environmental remediation at the former Paokahu landfill, according to the council’s meeting report.
Councillors voted to allow staff to progress design work alongside mana whenua engagement, including participation in design refinement and environmental enhancement.
It was confirmed this week that the site would no longer be used for waste management after fruit firm Seeka announced a $15.5 million investment in Gisborne for a “produce hub” including a packhouse and coolstore.
Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann welcomed those jobs, adding that the council had taken seriously “the concerns raised by neighbouring mana whenua” about using Lytton Rd for waste management.
Webb said the council bought the property because it presented a strategic opportunity for the region, which at the time included potential future use as a transfer and recovery centre.
“Purchasing the property allowed council to secure an available site while further investigation and planning took place.”
Concerns from mana whenua had been an important consideration from the outset, so alternative options were considered.
Since the council vote, staff had worked through the commercial process for Seeka to take the head tenancy of the site.
“In the meantime, the Seeka proposal provides an opportunity to generate a commercial return from the property while supporting significant regional investment.”
The council is considering other potential waste management sites, though it said it could not disclose them.
Commercial considerations, iwi and affected party engagement are underway.
Rongowhakaata has been approached for comment.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.