Creation of New Zealand’s largest fully consented and development-ready industrial park has made Selwyn District Council a finalist in the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) EXCELLENCE Awards.
Now in their fourth year, the Awards recognise and celebrate the key leadership role that local government plays in communities around the country.
Development of the Izone Southern Business Hub is a finalist for the Crown Fibre Holdings EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice Contribution to Local Economic Development.
Izone covers 188 hectares, with only 9.6 hectares of council land remaining unsold. Currently more than 70 businesses employ 1,260 people with a further 800 jobs forecast to be created when land purchasers complete developments.
The ports of Tauranga and Lyttelton have inland ports within and adjacent to Izone.
Planning for the site goes back to 2000 when then Selwyn Mayor Michael McEvedy foresaw the need for land to attract businesses to the fast-growing Rolleston area. When a 130-hectare farm came up for sale, the council was ready to act.
Judges said the Council’s long-term, strategic thinking had paid off with the IZone development seeing considerable success.
“The Development was a journey over a long period of time involving a number of leaders and had allowed for the district’s growth and post-quake recovery.”
LGNZ President Lawrence Yule said the finalists in the EXCELLENCE Awards showcased outstanding leadership being provided by local government throughout the country.
“Local government is at the centre of every community in New Zealand, helping shape the environment in which we work and play,” Mr Yule says.
“Being named as a finalist is a great achievement and reflects the vision shown by councils and the innovative work being done by staff. The finalists include some truly exceptional projects that are having a profound impact on communities.”
Local authorities were invited to submit award applications in five categories:
- Fulton Hogan EXCELLENCE Award for Community Engagement
- Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Best Creative Place
- Air New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Environmental Impact
- Chorus EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice in Infrastructure
- Crown Fibre Holdings EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice Contribution to Local Economic Development
Judges for the awards are former Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast, Chair of EQC Sir Maarten Wevers and The New Zealand Initiative’s Executive Director, Dr Oliver Hartwich.