May 2018

Updated version. Unfortunately in yesterday's Growing our Region the Read More links were not working properly. Which means you were unable to read our great stories in detail! This is an updated version with all links working - enjoy!

Welcome to the latest edition of Growing our Region.  

The outlook is positive across our region with economic confidence growing, house prices on the up and the vibe in the streets positive. 

First up, I want to give you an update on what will be a major infrastructure project for this region. In March, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) announced that Option 3 was decided upon as the Manawatū Gorge alternative route. Since then, work has been progressing on the Detailed Business Case and implementation phase. We understand this will be completed midway through this year. Construction is due to get underway in 2020, following the appropriate consenting, designations and property purchase process.

Alongside the announcement of the Manawatū Gorge alternative was a $10M commitment from Government to complete a Detailed Business Case for the Regional Freight Ring Road, to unlock the hubbing and distribution potential of our region. This commitment by central government means they have heard the collective voices of councils and associated stakeholders in our region to find a suitable solution. This collaborative approach sits under the banner of Accessing Central New Zealand (ACNZ), a governance group set up as part of the Accelerate25 initiative who focus on ensuring a connected, safe and resilient transport network in our region. 

The decision on the Manawatū Gorge alternative, and the expectation that it must be well integrated with the Regional Freight Ring Road to achieve increased regional connectedness, means much of the work in the next 18 months will be focused on the implementation of the Ring Road business case. A joint working party has been formed to work with NZTA on the business case, with the objective of securing investment for commencement of the Ring Road so parts of the Ring Road can be built at the same time as the Manawatū Gorge alternative. This work will allow us to ensure connectedness for our region. 

In other news, we look at three very different venues or hubs which are transforming their communities. These include Whanganui's Innovation Quarter, Te Pae Tata based in Ruapehu and Foxton's Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom.

This year's Hackathon winners have also been recently announced. Earlier this month teams pitched their ideas to find solutions for on-farm water problems, with two teams taking out the top prizes. InfoFarm and Droplet will have the opportunity to continue  their work through BCC's innovator programme in Palmerston North. Accelerate25 sponsored the event again this year and we are thrilled to see some high quality solutions being put forward. 

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don't forget to share these stories far and wide. The more people who know about the great things happening in our region, the better. 

Michael McCartney, Lead Team Facilitator, Accelerate25

What's been happening in and around our Region?

Over the past two months there has been plenty of exciting news and events around our region. Many of which we should be shouting from the rooftops! To keep up to date with what's going on, join us on Twitter @Accelerate_25 or check out the following news stories.

Horizons proposes mega forestry programme for Whanganui

KiwiRail to upgrade Whanganui-Castlecliff rail line with $3 million from Government's Provincial Growth Fund

Manawatu Gorge construction likely to bring good, bad and ugly

Whanganui house prices soar as regional average hits $500,000

Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail on Radio NZ: Part One

Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail on Radio NZ: Part Two

Shearwarmth selected as a top 5 business for SheEO NZ

Horowhenua eco-home builders plan significant expansion