New website lures Waipa investment
15 November 2016
A new online tool has been launched to help deal with a growing number of enquiries from people looking to invest in the Waipa district.
Waipa District Council has launched www.investwaipa.co.nz to showcase Waipa to the investor community plus help existing Waipa businesses looking to expand. The site is also aimed at new start-up businesses looking for direction and help.
The site has been given the thumbs-up from the Council's business development manager Steve Tritt who said it would help service a steady stream of genuine enquiry.
The website is a great tool and I've had fantastic feedback about it so far, Tritt said.
The Council knows that setting up a business is hard enough and it's our job to make it easier, not harder. It's about helping potential investors and business owners save time and money by providing clear information, early, on council processes.
The website provides entry level information for new businesses as well as more complex data. It has a large section on how to get a business started including a step-by-step approach to local rules and regulations. The site also showcases Waipa businesses including Helicorp, Manuka Health, CTC Aviation, LAD Architecture, Vilagrad Wines and Monavale Blueberries.
Tritt said he is fielding a constant stream of out-of-district enquiries from manufacturers, professional service firms and others looking to establish in Waipa.
They recognise we're smack in the middle of the Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga golden triangle' with outstanding transport links, a very good local labour market and huge growth, he said.
Just as importantly, Waipa offers a superb lifestyle with great schools and good community facilities. Investors are increasingly seeing Waipa as a very safe, very smart investment with significant lifestyle advantages.
Tritt said a number of existing businesses were looking to expand and were seeking larger premises. The district has a number of development zones ready to go including industrial land in Te Awamutu's Bond Road and Paterangi/Factory Road where further industrial-zoned land is likely.
Hautaupu industrial estate on the outskirts of Cambridge is also creating a lot of interest. It's Waipa's largest industrial growth cell and is expected to grow by 40 hectares once the structure plan is finalised.
Commercial land is available near Hamilton airport, including land directly adjacent to State Highway 3. The western precinct, off the new roundabout on SH3, can house large industrial buildings as well as commercial or retail buildings on the gateway entrance road to the precinct.
The Airport Business Zone is a 75 hectare industrial and commercial business park which has ready-to-go industrial and commercial land free of development contributions.
Tritt said a recent revaluation of the Waipa district by Quotable Value had shown a massive jump in average Waipa property values. All up the district has seen a 23.1 per increase in the capital value of property compared to a 1.6 per cent increase in 2013.
Commercial property and industrial property had seen an average increase in capital value of 7.6 and 7.2 per cent respectively. Residential capital value across the Waipa district had risen by 38.2 per cent.
I think that's a very clear indication of confidence in the district in terms of where it's positioned and where it's heading, Tritt said. I'm predicting the property valuation data will drive further enquiry so the timing of this website launch is very good.
Media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of council) 027 507 7599