TGH Helps Air Force Base Community to Relocate

Friday 8th April

TGH Helps Air Force Base Community to Relocate

Tainui Group Holdings, the commercial arm of Waikato Tainui, says it has advised residents of the Te Rapa air force base settlement in Hamilton that they will have to move to make way for a major commercial development.

Announcing the decision Chief Executive Steve Murray said that unfortunately housing was no longer sustainable or suitable in that area, which is now surrounded by commercial and industrial activities.

"The community has effectively been compressed by the rapid industrial development which has taken place in Te Rapa over recent years," he said.

"Our main concern is to ensure the tenants have the best support we can provide to help them find alternative accommodation to meet their needs," said Mr Murray.

TGH representatives met tenants yesterday to inform them of the decision and offered support on a one-to-one basis.

Thirty four of the houses, which used to be air force base accommodation, are tenanted.

"We are coordinating a number of Crown agencies for tenants who need help to find suitable accommodation," said Mr Murray.

Work and Income and Housing New Zealand Corporation will be on-site on Monday to outline the support they can provide so that people know what their options are."

"We have set up an office for Work and Income and Housing New Zealand Corporation staff to work onsite with tenants to discuss options on a one-to-one basis," he said. "They will continue to do that for as long as necessary."

"I expect that most of the tenants will make their own arrangements for alternative accommodation. However, if any tenants do need help or support it is certainly available."

"We have advised tenants that the properties may need to be vacant by the end of July."

He said the time is now right for the land to be redeveloped for commercial and industrial purposes to take advantage of favourable conditions in the property sector and economy generally.

"That is the suitable thing to do for the land in the collective interests of Waikato-Tainui," said Mr Murray. "We can now provide the tenants with some clarity about the future and we can help them move into accommodation which is part of a real community rather than being isolated in the middle of an industrial estate."

Mr Murray said the company had plans for the redevelopment of the site which are currently confidential.

"We need to conclude some of the details with our partners in the development before we can announce the nature of the project. However, we are confident it will proceed."

ENDS

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