WAIHI’S GOLD DISCOVERY CENTRE RESOURCE CONSENT GRANTED


Waihi’s Gold Discovery Centre took another step towards becoming a reality last week with the granting of the project’s resource consent by the Hauraki District Council. Over the past two weeks Peter Crawford, the independent commissioner appointed by council has been considering the RMA application and released his findings on Wednesday 3 February.

The Mayor of Hauraki John Tregidga stated that this was a significant step towards ensuring Waihi’s vision of achieving economic benefit from Waihi’s historic heritage and gold mining past and present. He stated that the benefits would be for the entire region.

The proposed Discovery Centre is a multi-million dollar, multi-use facility in the commercial centre of Waihi and it will include retail, office, community uses as well as an operational office for New Zealand Mint. It will be situated close to the Martha Pit and the historic pump house building.

The Mayor looks forward to the next step in the project which will see building consents lodged and construction begin.

The granting of the resource consent is one of the key conditions agreed to under the project “Heads of Agreement” signed off by the project partners last year. Vision Waihi Trust chief executive Eddie Morrow says “This is a significant milestone for the project, it gives us one more tick on the list and helps the project on its pathway to the gaining the green light”

As for the inevitable question of when we might see the turning of the first sod “That’s something that I’d personally love to tie down but it’s a decision for the partners to make collectively and is subject to a number of other factors” says Mr Morrow. “We had been anticipating a start this construction season and with any luck we may also have some clarity on that in the next few weeks” he added.

Contact:
Eddie Morrow – Vision Waihi Trust
P: 027 271 4044
E: eddie@waihi.org.nz


5 February 2010