Nineteen Wairoa marae to be upgraded as part of PGF investment

QRS will receive a $2 million loan from the PGF to construct a new operations hub. Photo / Strike Photography

The Government has announced a $3.78 million Provincial Growth Fund investment in Wairoa which includes the renovation of 19 marae, and a $2m loan to Quality Roading and Services.

Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau made the three funding announcements in Wairoa today.

The PGF projects announced include:

• A loan of $2m to QRS to construct a 750sq m operations hub.

• A $200,000 loan to Nuhaka Kiwifruit Holdings Limited to construct a larger water reservoir which will maximise the current water consent, allowing the orchard to expand.

• $1.58m for the renovation of 19 local marae.

Tabuteau said the construction of the QRS operations hub will involve up to eight construction staff and 30 sub-contracting staff on-site for the duration of the project.

The marae upgrades are anticipated to create 133 jobs and the loan to Nuhaka Kiwifruit Holdings will allow the creation of up to 12 new jobs he said.

QRS chairman Guy Gaddum said the PGF investment is a vote of confidence in the region.

"This infrastructure investment fits well with the government's previously announced investment strategy in Wairoa helping carry the town forward and help with our recovery after Covid-19."

QRS chief executive Nigel Pollock hopes to see the concrete foundations for the new operations hub poured by the end of the year. Photo / Strike Photography

QRS chief executive Nigel Pollock said the operations hub will provide space for an additional 30 staff and has been budgeted at a cost of $4m.

QRS is wholly owned by Wairoa District Council.

Gaddum said to meet the $4m cost, the expectation is that QRS will borrow $1.2m and inject the final $800,000 from capital funding.

"Over the past two decades we've had a rise in employee numbers from 30 to nearly 100. We've reached a point where our efficiency of business is constrained.

"We need more space, modernisation for the digital world, and a more professional looking central hub," Pollock said.

Architectural design is underway and Pollock said it would be "fantastic" to see the concrete foundations poured by the end of the year.