Council and Te Korowai to Pursue Separate Projects in Manaia

The South Taranaki District Council and Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trust have decided to pursue separate development projects in Manaia, following extensive collaboration and due diligence.

Councillors made the decision to cease work on a shared Iwi/Council facility at its 14 April meeting and instructed officers to move quickly on developing a plan for building a standalone community facility in the town.

South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon says Council and Te Korowai have been working together since 2022 to investigate the viability of developing a multi-purpose, multi-use Iwi and community facility in Manaia. Work included development of an Initial Business Case followed by a more detailed Stage 2 Business Case, focusing on potential commercial and relationship agreements.

“Since August 2024, we’ve been exploring various ownership and operating models. However, due diligence revealed that transferring land ownership of the Memorial Hall site from the Council to Te Korowai was problematic and, along with potential lease-back arrangements, was just not viable for either party.”

Mayor Nixon says that while the outcome was not what Council or Te Korowai hoped for, it was worth pursuing.

“The concept provided the potential for us to combine our resources to achieve a great outcome for the whole community. While this collaborative approach has proven not to be viable in this instance, we remain committed to enhancing the community assets in Manaia. This decision provides clarity and allows both parties to focus on their respective projects while maintaining a strong relationship and the desire to explore future collaboration opportunities.”

Te Korowai Pouwhakarae, Emma Gardiner says that Te Korowai is optimistic regarding future collaborations.

“Because of the way we structured both the outcomes framework and the business case, both can be divided by their parts and utilised – so neither party is starting the due-diligence from scratch. We also know that much of the outcome’s framework is applicable to future Town Planning. So, although we are progressing separate projects, we know that both parties will have a positive impact on the future of Manaia,” she says.

Mayor Nixon says Council understands the frustration the community has with the length of time it has taken to get to this point and has instructed officers to come up with a plan for a standalone facility as a priority.

“We just need to get on and make something tangible happen as quickly as possible.”