It also included an additional accommodation unit for two on-site managers.<\/p>\n
Each accommodation unit could house seven people. Laundry facilities and dining areas were included.<\/p>\n
The RSE scheme allows horticulture or viticulture businesses to hire workers from eligible Pacific countries if certain criteria are met.<\/p>\n
Tauriko Business Estate director Bryce Donne said the land was earmarked to be used for future SH29 upgrades, but could be used in the meantime for the accommodation complex.<\/p>\n
Donne is the director of EI Properties, a majority landowner within the business estate.<\/p>\n
Tauranga City Council head of environmental planning Alex Miller said the resource consent application was submitted on March 10. <\/p>\n
He said this was the only application for this accommodation type the council was processing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe resource consent process will consider a range of factors under the Resource Management Act and City Plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the council was not aware of another facility for RSE workers within an industrial zone.<\/p>\n
Asked whether this was an appropriate use of industrial land, Miller said the resource consent process would determine whether the proposal was appropriate under the City Plan provisions.<\/p>\n
The units would feature double-glazed windows to provide internal noise protection for residents. It would also have a 2m-high visual mitigation bund to reduce visibility of surrounding buildings. <\/p>\n
A proposed 182-bed accommodation for seasonal workers in the Tauriko Industrial Zone. <\/p>\n
The proposed layout included a communal lawn space and recreation areas. <\/p>\n
The application said the maximum occupancy was expected from March to October.<\/p>\n
Workers would be based at a nearby post-harvest facility within the Tauriko Business Estate.<\/p>\n
Vans and buses would transport workers between the accommodation and the post-harvest facility. <\/p>\n
The post-harvest facility operated two rotating shifts: 7am to 6.30pm, and 7pm to 6.30am, on a six-days-on, two-days-off rolling roster.<\/p>\n
Transport would also be available for activities outside work hours, and for occasional travel to Katikati or Paengaroa orchards.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated<\/a> chief executive Colin Bond said there was a growing need for suitable seasonal worker accommodation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re supportive of new builds that meet industry standards and the demands of a growing industry.\u201d<\/p>\n He said nearly 80% of New Zealand\u2019s kiwifruit orchards were in the Bay of Plenty. <\/p>\n \u201cAs demand for kiwifruit continues to grow<\/a>, production is forecast to increase by 9% by 2030.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite increased automation within the industry, both our permanent and seasonal workforces are expanding to support this growth in production.\u201d<\/p>\n Bond said RSE employees made up a \u201csmall but crucial proportion\u201d of the horticulture workforce. <\/p>\n \u201cAlthough New Zealanders are the kiwifruit industry\u2019s first priority when it comes to picking and packing kiwifruit, it is not always possible to fill all available positions.\u201d<\/p>\n He said industrial zones were a sensible location for seasonal worker accommodation because packhouses were located there.<\/p>\n Bond said there was insufficient accommodation available before Covid-19. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile the industry\u2019s automation journey has provided some relief, ongoing growth means this will become a problem again unless new accommodation is built.\u201d<\/p>\n Donne said recent sales and leasing interest at the Tauriko estate had been from a range of industries.<\/p>\n New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive Colin Bond.<\/p>\n