Business leaders push back against Nelson economy doom narrative
Nelson business leaders say the region is seeing far more economic activity and investment across multiple sectors than national coverage suggests.
Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce event at Tides Hotel on Thursday, regional developer Andrew Spittal said Nelson Tasman had faced a difficult year, with major floods, job losses, supply chain failures and sustained cost pressures.
Despite that, many industries had continued to “weather it” and show resilience..”
National commentary portraying the region as a place defined by economic stagnation made him “grumpy”, and ignored the determination of its workforce.
“There is a lot more happening here than people realise,” he said.
Spittal’s comments followed new Infometrics data showing early signs of improvement. The region recorded 1.4% GDP growth in the September quarter, although annual growth remained slightly negative at -0.3%.
The report said Nelson Tasman was “starting to turn a corner” but warned the recovery would be slow given recent business closures.
Coman Group commercial manager Leita McKellar said that the region’s business environment appeared “subdued” from the outside.
“But there are local businesses investing heavily in the region where they live, where their children go to school and where people are employed,” she said.
McKellar pointed to the group’s ongoing 27-lot industrial subdivision development in Appleby.
Trinder Engineering had moved into a 9000m² purpose-built facility and was actively recruiting 95 to 200 staff.
Houston Motors had expanded operations to a new site in the subdivision and was servicing up to 40 vehicles a week. It had also sold two sections to St John who planned to build a specialist regional facility.
The country’s first zero-silica AG Stone Benchtops had also established presence, and an indoor paddleball facility was scheduled to open on December 19.
A three-storey office building on Bridge St was now fully tenanted by Westpac and Inland Revenue, with more than 100 workers on site, while The Cube on Queen in Richmond was set to offer 66 commercial freehold units of various sizes.
McKellar said these projects reflected “significant investment”, creating new business spaces, jobs and regional economic growth.
Scott Construction general manager Justin Candish told the audience he was “shocked” when plans arrived proposing the demolition of the ACC-owned Morrison Square, which he described as “corporate arrogance”.
“A couple of million to put it down, six months of demolition, then a gravel car park in our CBD for who knows how long. What a disaster for town.”
Candish argued for a different approach and urged ACC to consider adaptive reuse and the long-term impact on the city centre.
The revised plan now included a two-year redevelopment of the site into hospitality, retail and office space, along with a 42-room boutique hotel and a pedestrian-only public square “piazza”.
The region’s largest upcoming development, the Maitahi Village project in Kākā Valley, was expected to inject “about $400 million” into the local economy, director Hemi Toia said.
The first housing development approved under the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Act, the project would create about 376 homes for a population of roughly 1000, he said.
This included a 194-unit lifestyle village, 36 in-care units, 10 to 50 Ngāti Koata iwi-led build-to-rent homes, a conference and cultural centre, and between 132 and 172 homes for the general public.
GJ Gardner Homes Nelson franchise owner Graham Verkoe said he had taken on the Marsden Valley subdivision from another developer.
His group bought the remaining land, scrapped the old plan and reduced the subdivision from 220 sections to 154 more workable sites, with plans to add further sections on the western side.
By Nina Hindmarsh, Nelson Mail
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