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Download AudioA leading Ōhinewai resident says the building of a Sleepyhead mattress factory will bring huge benefits to the north Waikato.
Waikato Regional Council is considering whether to appeal a decision by independent commissioners to approve the rezoning, which will allow the building of the factory and up to 1100 homes..
Tawera Nikau says the developers started on the right foot by sitting with mana whenua at Matahuru Marae to explain their plans.
"Some of the key things involved in that project was making sure for us as kaitiaki, all our whenua, all our lands, our rivers, our lakes would be enhanced by this project, not a deterrent but that project actually enhancing that whole area," he says.
Tawera Nikau says the developers accepted the community’s whānau first kaupapa, and they’ve created opportunities for employment and training, including a subcontracting scheme to which means whānau are already working on the building site.
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