Port Nelson to buy more cargo space

1.00pm

Port Nelson Ltd plans to spend more than $6 million on buying roads from Nelson City Council during the next decade for its growing operations.

Port Nelson engineering and hydrographic officer Murray McGuire said today the company had included at least $6.3 million in its budget for the next 10 years or so, to buy about 33,700sq m of roads in the port area.

Company chief executive Martin Byrne said the roads would be closed after being bought.

"The long-term strategy behind closing the roads is to try to increase the operational area of the port and increase security," he said.

The company has already asked for 3460sq metres of road and the request was to be discussed at an infrastructural assets committee meeting today.

A report to the council said the land could be worth more than $500,000.

- NZPA