Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Jobs and homes for north Waikato as Sleepyhead development gets green light

Danielle Zollickhofer
By Danielle Zollickhofer
Multimedia journalist, Waikato Herald·Waikato Herald·
24 May, 2021 05:07 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Waikato District Mayor Alan Sanson is excited about the newly approved Sleepyhead Estate development. Photo / Jonathan Milne, newsroom.co.nz

Waikato District Mayor Alan Sanson is excited about the newly approved Sleepyhead Estate development. Photo / Jonathan Milne, newsroom.co.nz

Independent commissioners have approved the development of the $1.2 billion manufacturing and housing community in Ohinewai for bedding specialist Sleepyhead.

The 178 ha rural site in the north Waikato, 7km north of Huntly, will have space for 1100 homes for up to 3000 residents, and a new factory creating up to 2600 new jobs. The mixed-use community is set to be developed over the next 10 years and includes industrial, commercial, and residential zones.

The Waikato Regional Council is now considering if it will appeal the decision because of its concerns about the development.

A statement from the regional council said that housing in such rural places will exacerbate car dependency and, in this case, risk undermining the rejuvenation of Huntly.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington says: "We don't want decisions that we may regret in the future. We'll need time to review the detail of the decision released today by the hearings commissioners to see if these effects have been adequately addressed."

There is a 30-day period in which appeals may be lodged.

The Ohinewai development would span an area of 178ha. Image / Supplied
The Ohinewai development would span an area of 178ha. Image / Supplied

Meanwhile, Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good acknowledges the opposition but says: "The project will make a significant economic contribution firstly as a development and then ongoing as a major employer in the Waikato. This is a long-term development that will add value to the Waikato District, to Ohinewai, Huntly and Te Kauwhata and the surrounding region."

Sleepyhead belongs to The Comfort Group, Australasia's largest bedding and foam manufacturer, which also includes SleepMaker and Dunlop Foams brands. The Comfort Group's current manufacturing facilities at Avondale and Otahuhu in Auckland are operating beyond capacity, suffer from significant site and transport restrictions, and are generally no longer fit for purpose.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The rezoning development by Comfort Group and its property arm, Ambury Properties Ltd, was submitted on the Proposed Waikato District Plan and has been under deliberation since hearings in September.

That was when submitters presented their case to independent commissioners Dr Phil Mitchell, Paul Cooney, Dynes Fulton and Weo Maag.

During these hearings the Waikato Regional Council made a joint submission with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency opposing the rezoning request due to a range of concerns including the lack of certainty about how water and wastewater will be managed.

The complex would also be developed within a low-lying floodplain, which would require substantial infilling and ongoing protection. Another concern of the council and NZTA are the possible effects on the Waikato Expressway and increased traffic congestion.

Discover more

Long-awaited SH1 extension will connect SH29 at new Piarere roundabout

29 Jun 05:35 AM

The Sleepyhead factory will be on a site of 37ha and employ more than 1000 staff once fully operational. The complex also includes a further 106,000sq m of general industrial activity with an estimated 32,400sq m of commercial gross floor area.

Good says: "The beauty of the Ohinewai site is that it will drive the economic development of an undeveloped region that is strategically situated on an arterial route in The Golden Triangle between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. Just imagine what new industries would happen if the expressway extended all the way through to Tauranga."

Director of The Comfort Group Craig Turner also acknowledged the significance of the rezoning decision for both the project and the entire Waikato region.

"The decision today marks a major milestone for the project. The vision behind The Sleepyhead Estate is to create a genuine community in a beautiful setting for people who want an affordable, quality home, a stable job and a thriving community they can be part of."

Turner also said that the rezoning would not only be beneficial to The Comfort Group but also to the Waikato District. "We have chosen to make Huntly the new corporate home for The Comfort Group after nine decades in Auckland."

The Ohinewai development would span an area of 178ha. Image / Supplied
The Ohinewai development would span an area of 178ha. Image / Supplied

Waikato district mayor Allan Sanson is delighted about the approval.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This will mean a major boost for the communities of Ohinewai and Huntly, as well as for the whole Waikato district. It will bring jobs, revitalise the northern Waikato with affordable new housing, and encourage other commercial investment in the area. It's a tremendous stimulus for the council's vision to create liveable, thriving and connected communities as New Zealand continues to navigate Covid-19 and uncertain economic times ahead."

Earthworks have already started on a part of the development under separate resource consents. Alongside this, an application to build a large foam factory and rail siding are to be considered under the Government's Covid-19 fast-tracking consenting law.

If the zoning decision is confirmed after the appeals period, Ambury Properties will still have to apply for a number of land use and subdivision consents to carry out the planned development, some of which are being progressed under the fast-track process.

Tucker says: "We are working in close collaboration with iwi and mana whenua of Ohinewai through the Tangata Whenua Governance Group, to ensure that their environmental, cultural and spiritual values are appropriately recognised and provided for, and the development is beneficial to all parties."

The chief of staff of the office of the Kingitanga, Archdeacon Ngira Simmonds, says: "We welcome responsible development that is considerate to mana whenua needs, environmental considerations and that will bring sustained employment for the people of the Waikato."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

04 Jul 08:45 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

'I'm proud of you': Sister's final message before fatal crash

04 Jul 06:03 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

04 Jul 02:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

04 Jul 08:45 PM

A family wanted to be left alone to develop their land without council interference.

'I'm proud of you': Sister's final message before fatal crash

'I'm proud of you': Sister's final message before fatal crash

04 Jul 06:03 PM
Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

04 Jul 02:00 AM
Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP