MEDIA RELEASE
 

Building bought to consolidate Tauranga office accommodation

For immediate release: 12 March 2009

Environment Bay of Plenty has resolved to proceed with buying Regency House, in Elizabeth Street, Tauranga, as its new western Bay of Plenty office.

The building will provide accommodation for Tauranga-based staff who are currently housed in three offices and two depot facilities, which are all leased premises.  The decision to proceed with this purchase is a cost efficient and timely investment for Environment Bay of Plenty.

The Elizabeth Street building has several current tenants with short-term and long-term leases – some through until 2016 – so relocation of staff from our Mount Maunganui offices will be staged over a period of time.

Environment Bay of Plenty is looking forward to working with the current tenants, who include the Inland Revenue Department, the Ministry of Education and a number of commercial companies.  While Duffill Watts is moving out of the building – and our staff will move into this space – other occupancies will continue.

Environment Bay of Plenty Chairman John Cronin said the decision to proceed with buying the building was based on a sound business case and represented a significant long-term saving in comparison to Council’s current accommodation in Tauranga and other options.  In making this decision, Council closely considered three Tauranga sites.

“At the moment our staff are spread across several leased buildings and this is not cost efficient or sensible in the long-term,” he said.  “This decision means we will be able to house Tauranga staff in one building and we won’t be paying three lots of rent, plus we will receive significant income from the building’s current tenants,” Chairman Cronin said.

“The decision to proceed with the purchase of this building reflects a significant financial saving and even more so when compared to the costs of building a new office,” he said. “This aligns with Council’s direction of minimising financial impacts on our ratepayers.”

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