Northland developer looking at injecting $10 million in Whangārei's Oruku Landing

An artist's impression of the new-look Oruku Landing development in Whangārei that Marsden Maritime Holdings is looking at investing $10 million in.

A Northland development company is looking at investing $10 million into the reincarnated Oruku Landing conference and multi-events centre on Whangārei's Riverside Drive.

Oruku Landing was first proposed by Northland Development Corporation (NDC) as a $136m development. It was to be jointly funded with at least $57m from the Whangārei District Council (WDC), $60m from the Government and $6m from the Northland Regional Council. After public feedback that drew 5000 submissions, WDC voted not to proceed with its funding.

However, last month a smaller $62.5m reincarnated Oruku Landing conference centre plan was put back before the council, which decided that if the council-controlled organisation Northland Events Centre Trust (Nect) came back with due diligence on the new plan the matter could be considered.

But on Friday, Northland property and infrastructure developer Marsden Maritime Holdings (MMH) announced it had signed an expression of interest with NDC, subject to due diligence, to purchase the land under the proposed conference and multi-events centre.

Under the terms of the $10m deal MMH would make the land available to a public entity developer, under a long-term commercial lease, to develop and operate the conference and events centre.

MMH has also secured the rights from NDC to develop and operate a proposed marina, including an electric ferry terminal along the front of the site. The company already owns Marsden Cove Marina near the mouth of Whangārei Harbour. It hopes to connect them by ferry for commuters and visitors from planned cruise ships when they return to New Zealand waters, something the company believes is only a matter of time.

The board of MMH believes the project will bring many economic and social benefits to the region, from capital injection to training and job creation.

The company said the development also supports its own purpose of helping to transform Northland's economy. This is even more pertinent following the planned conversion of the oil refinery and the need to develop alternative job creation and economic activity locally, the company said.

"We think the Oruku Landing development presents an exciting and much-needed opportunity for capital, economic and social investment into Northland of the sort we have rarely seen and badly need," MMH chairman Murray Jagger said.

"We are both happy and proud to be involved with this project and to facilitate this important Northland development project."