Ben Murphy: General Manager of New Zealand's largest ever development discusses project progress

New Zealand’s largest industrial development ever is about to begin in Invercargill. 

Mike Hosking spoke to the general manager of the project Ben Murphy this morning, who said the project is making progress. 

“We do have a fully zoned sight there, which is the key unlocker for this project.” Ben Murphy told Mike Hosking this morning.  

Although progress has been made, the project must secure occupiers before the project breaks ground.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the cargol might be in for an industrial boom.
So we've told you about the inland port previously now
called a Steward. Have the country's largest ever industrial development
lined up five hundred and thirteen hectares two and a
half billion dollars have been Murphy, General manager of Property,
called the Stewards with us on this one. Been morning
to you well, Mike. Thanks having it not at all
set to go as it consented. Where are we at

(00:20):
with the paperwork?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
So we do have a fully zoned site there, which
is I guess the key and locker for this project.
So that's the exciting part. And we've done an awful
lot of preparatory work over the last three years and
to get to a point where we're keen to start
talking to the market about the opportunity.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
And what's the time frame when's it open?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, as I say, we're being an awful lot of
preparation work leading up to this, a lot of the engineering, design,
stakeholder engagement and capital investment in terms of master planning
the site. I guess the site really gets a locked
when occupiers come to the table and we're talking to
a number of national and offshore occupies at the moment.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
But is it twenty thirty, is at twenty forty next year?

Speaker 2 (01:01):
We certainly hope not. We think it's in the shorter term, Mike,
that's really going to be subject to getting agreement with
these occupiers to commit to this site, and we certainly
think that holds huge opportunity for the region and from
a national perspective as well.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Is this a build that they will come, because you're
talking about attracting high output food process as advanced manufacturers,
clean tech exporters. Are they already there and we'll just
go to a new location, or are they not there
and will come a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Of both, We think, Mike, the job that we're undertaking
at the moment is to make sure that we've got
a site that's ready to go for occupiers who see
value in being in this location. That obviously there's a
huge amount of prime industry in the region, but we
also think there's opportunity for new business and new sectors.
And you look at agriculture, high tech manufacturing, and there's

(01:49):
an awful lot of renewable energy opportunity on site as well.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
So exciting times, it's funny you should say that is
this where because we've talked about various in landports around
the country. Is this power generation aspect of but you're
going to do solar and wind? Is that part of
so in other words, it's not just a warehouse, it's
not just a factory. You're generating power as well.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, that's correct. A significant amount of the site will
ultimately look to house a wind farm. We'll also have
roof mounted solar systems and also ground mounted solar systems,
So we're looking at a significant amount of power generation
from the site.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
I wish you all the very boitst will it. Ben Murphy,
who's the general manager of property, called the Steward's exciting aid.
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