Land set aside at Tauriko for industrial development is useless for the purpose, and the city is facing an immediate and acute shortage of industrial development land, says developer Bob Clarkson.

The remaining Tauriko industrial estate is subject to subsidence, says Bob.

Most of the land there is only suitable for low rise light commercial and repair centres.

Bob took his concerns to the public forum of this week's Tauranga City Council meeting. His business is building large scale industrial buildings, such as the recently completed 15,000sqm bus assembly building at Tauriko.

'I've come here to talk about industrial land and the problems we have got here in town,” says Bob.

'Before last Christmas at the hearings I put in a request for (zoning) changes to the Tauriko land that I own at Tauriko behind the gas station.

'I wanted that land changed to industrial.”

This land is within the city council boundary, but outside the urban limits. It's right on the boundary edge with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

'Twelve months back I forecast a shortage of premium industrial land for bulk stores and high stud buildings which I mostly build,” says Bob.

'Tauranga is now worse off – we have no premium industrial land in development. We have nothing suitable like at the Mount.

'Tauranga City Council put all its efforts into the Tauriko industrial area and we now have a major problem.”

The Tauriko industrial estate is subsiding.

The industrial area is expected to sink between 140-5000mm over the next 50 year with 200mm in the first 10 years.

That amount of subsidence is enough to pull a large building apart – and in 10 years time the council will be repairing subsiding sewers and water pipes at Tauriko, says Bob.

'That 200mm is significant.

'It's deemed suitable for service centres and repair shops, but there is a question whether it is suitable for that.”

The land is rated for industrial building with a 10kpa loading which Bob says means one tonne per square metre – a single pallet of kiwifruit that cannot be stacked.

It also rules out leaving a loaded container on site as most carry 20 tonnes.

'Where are we going to build our big buildings? No Smart Growth talks about having manufacturing plants here.”

The recently completed 15,000sqm bus assembly plant Bob built at Tauriko is on the last suitable piece of land.

'That's the sort of building we want, but we haven't got anywhere to build them available to purchase,” says Bob.

'Smart Growth talks about having manufacturing plants here and that bus assembly plant is one of the best projects that has come to Tauranga in the last three or four years.

'Smart Growth put all its future industrial growth plans into one pair of hands at Tauriko.”

One firm controls the industrial development there, and the developer has run out of money, says Bob. He says nothing will happen for the next two or three years.

'I ask the Tauranga City Council to take urgent action,” says Bob, 'and allocate land suitable for heavy buildings.”

Councillors did not have the information about the subsidence when it made its original zoning decision.

In reply to Murray Guy's question about Rangiuru Park, Bob says nothing will happen there.

It is on the wrong side of town and is covered in 1.5m of peat. The peat would have to be dug out and the land refilled.

'The cost would be just stupid.

'I don't know whoever decided to buy that,” says Bob, 'it's too far away and the wrong direction.”

Mayor Stuart Crosby says the council will have to discuss the rezoning issue with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

'You have gone through the right channels, which is good.”