A key piece of infrastructure that will enable economic growth for the Bay of Plenty by connecting the Rangiuru Business Park to the highway has been blessed by mana whenua.

The interchange will open the industrial business park to nearby Te Puke and Pāpāmoa East and provide easy access to the Port of Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatāne via the Tauranga Eastern Link.

An official opening ceremony for the $60m bridge and interchange was held on Friday with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones cutting the ribbon.

Representatives from Tapuika and Waitaha iwi led the pōwhiri and karakia to welcome manuhiri (guests) and gift the bridge its name Pūkaingataru.

Around 200 people gathered to celebrate the milestone including MPs Tom Rutherford and Todd McClay, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer, Bay of Plenty Regional Council chair Doug Leeder and Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale.

In 2020, the government allocated $18m from its Provincial Growth Fund to kickstart work on the interchange, while Quayside Holdings provided the remaining $42m.

Quayside, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s investment arm, financed the ground infrastructure for the business park, bringing the total investment in the project to $180m to date.

A karakia led by Pouroto Ngaropo during the bridge naming. Photo / Supplied

The project has been 20 years in the making with land first purchased for the development in 2004.

Quayside owns 60 hectares of land in the consented business park. The total developable area is 148 hectares, with much of that land owned privately by multiple landowners.

Quayside chief executive Lyndon Settle said the vision from the start was for Rangiuru Business Park to be an “intergenerational industrial land development” that provided employment opportunities and economic growth for the region.

“The foresight and close cooperation of local leaders means the vision of an industrial development that supports a liveable local and regional community is now a reality.”

The project had faced significant hurdles including the Global Financial Crisis, environment court appeals, the Covid pandemic and rising construction costs and interest rates, he said.

The Government funding was a catalyst for the earthworks commencing in 2021, said Settle.

“Four years later, close collaboration between seven lead contractors has created jobs for up to 200 workers during construction, with each additional stage of construction expected to deliver between $16m and $55m of economic benefit to the Western Bay of Plenty District.”

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, cutting the ribbon for the interchange. Photo / Supplied

Minister Jones said the $18 million was at one level a drop in the bucket, but if it helped to “de-risk the kaupapa” then it was a “judicious use” of crown funding.

“Often things don’t happen unless we’re prepared ourselves as politicians to take the risk.”

Jones said the Government wanted to continue working with local government, iwi and private partners to deliver projects.

Jones said he was first presented the project in 2018 and was grateful to see “concrete evidence” the project had been delivered.

“Especially when we learn that quite a lot of the mahi was undertaken by men and women who call this place home.”

Regional council chair Doug Leeder said the council had been a key supporter of the project working with Quayside and central government to provide low-cost financing.

“It is a privilege to be here today to celebrate another significant milestone in the Bay of Plenty’s growth journey with the Rangiuru Business Park. From its origins in the SmartGrowth strategy of 2004, Rangiuru is a cornerstone project for our region’s development.

It was a “collective effort” to get to this project milestone, said Leeder

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, MPs, mayors and key stakeholders celebrated the interchange's completion. Photo / Supplied

He thanked everyone for their dedication and support to ensure the Bay of Plenty remained a “vital part of New Zealand’s growth story”.

Western Bay Mayor Denyer said the sub-region would not only benefit from jobs created at the business park, but it would support horticulture, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics in the area.

“The jobs the park creates will also be a catalyst for future housing development, whether in Te Puke or the major proposed developments of Te Tumu or Te Kāinga just adjacent to us here.”

The businesses that operate at the Rangiuru Business Park are expected to create up to 4000 jobs within an easy drive of the land designated for new homes.

The interchange will be vested to New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi but its opening date is yet to be announced.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.