Kaikohe water will unlock Maori land development

The head of the Provincial Development Unit hopes Māori landowners around Kaikohe will take advantage of a new water storage facility.

Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust’s 750,000 cubic metre Matawii Reservoir is the first project to gain consent from the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Act 2020.

Ben Dalton says last summer’s drought highlighted the need to guarantee water supply to the town, and it will also provide water for irrigation.

He says a Ministry for Primary Industries study estimated there was about 5000 hectares of Māori land in the area suitable for horticulture, if water is available.

"It's not only for Māori land, it's for general development as well in that area but given the preponderance of Māori land in that area it would be a good hope that Māori pick up the opportunity to bring their land into high value, low footprint development," Mr Dalton says.

Ben Dalton says Matawii Reservoir is just one project in the Provincial Growth Fund’s focus on water storage solutions for Northland.

Follow us on &

Copyright © 2020, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com

RELATED NEWS

Ngati Toa takes on trade trainees Helen Leahy from Te Pūtahitanga o TeWaipounamu talks to Dale Husband; Whānau Ora kaupapa Petition taken up for kaumātua commission