hastings central
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Hastings Central 2015-2016
The very first people to arrive in our region knew they had reached an extraordinary place. The land’s rich earth made it perfect for growing food. And that meant this was a place to put down roots, and begin to grow a community. Today, our beautiful vineyards are home to some of the world’s top wines. Delicious fruit harvested from our colourful orchards are enjoyed in New Zealand, Australia and further afield. We have expert food growers, and skilled artisans who turn freshly grown ingredients into sought after produce and sensational flavours. There are creative artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs who design, make and build. Our schools help grow talented young people, equipping them to make their way in the world. All around there is fresh pasture, clear running water, and a climate that makes it easier for us to have a healthy life, and enjoy the outdoors. There is so much under the sun that makes this place extra special. It started with an imaginative people who valued the earth they’d found. The story continues.
2015 DISCLAIMER Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate. Hastings District Council is not liable (in contract, tort, including negligence, equity or any other cause of action) for any direct or indirect damage, losses, costs or expense (including wasted costs, loss of profits or loss of business opportunity) or costs or expenses of any kind to any respondent if they rely on any information provided by Hastings District Council in this brochure. © Hastings District Council. The Hastings District Council acknowledges photographer Kevin Bridle (www.kevinbridle.co.nz) and the support from featured companies and their Hawke’s Bay photographers.
42EDUCATION
23BUSINESS CASE
STUDIES
43HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL SUPPORT
44CONTACTS
10 DOING BUSINESS IN HASTINGS CITY
16 INFRASTRUCTURE
04ABOUT HASTINGS
AND HAWKE’S BAY
02MESSAGE FROM
THE MAYOR
40LIFESTYLE
18
SUPPORT SERVICES
20
FUTURE PLANNING
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CONTENTS
YOU’D BE CRAZY NOT TO GET HERE
It is easy to do business here. Your team will thank you for it because everyone knows that a happy employee is more productive and committed, and they’ll have extra money to play with at the end of the day because it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to live here. Evidence from local businesses is that operational costs in Hastings are up to 20 percent lower than larger cities.
City centres that function well have a strong competitive edge. They generate business and attract people. Hastings is already a key commerce and retail anchor in Hawke’s Bay and we are strengthening its vitality by carefully planning for the future.
Precinct planning, effective zoning and clustering preferred types of activities in a city centre provides a powerful economic reason to come here. Our historical foundations are recognised and retained in a compact city which is easily walked,
with great connections throughout, and a Civic Square creating a cultural hub. We were recently awarded the title of ‘New Zealand’s Most Beautiful City’, a tremendous achievement
We can advise on where development is likely to occur and where new opportunities are likely to be found, identifying options that suit your business needs. By having a team that works with commercial enterprise and investors in an innovative and collaborative manner helps get the best results for the city.
Hawke’s Bay offers competitive cost structures and lower overheads, quality commercial and retail space, an able workforce and a business community that is willing to share its knowledge.
We also have excellent infrastructure, with resilient power networks and world-leading
‘Great Things Grow Here.’ It’s not just a saying, it’s a fact. We grow great food, our people are skilled, vibrant and friendly, families love the place and business opportunities are as diverse as Hawke’s Bay’s stunning landscapes.
telecommunications systems connecting us at high speed to the rest of the world, and our business support services match those of major centres.
Top that off with a local authority that is turning itself on its regulatory head to be business friendly, reduce and remove barriers and uncertainties and be strongly solution-focused for those locating here.
By creating a vibrant city, other companies will want to follow and that will help the Hawke’s Bay economy gain further momentum in the future.
Lawrence Yule Mayor, Hastings District Council
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“The opening of the Kiwibank service centre has brought new jobs and new people to this fantastic region, and new life to the Hastings central business district. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved in the regions when parties form a collaborative approach. The roll out of ultra-fast broadband will enable further economic development, which is crucial to building great cities. I am sure Kiwibank’s successful experience will provide other businesses, large and small, with the confidence to locate or relocate to the Hastings District.”
Hon Craig Foss, Member of Parliament for Tukituki
HASTINGSBusinesses can anticipate operations
cost savings of 20-25% less than large New Zealand cities
Savings are driven by lower commercial rentals, logistics, staff, and business to business costs
Calculate these savings over time and you get significant shareholder value and further
investment opportunity
The Hawke’s Bay regional economy is on a positive growth path with strong fundamentals
for our key industries of pastoral farming, horticulture, viticulture, forestry, tourism,
industry processing and manufacturing and business support services
Access to a diverse skilled and stable workforce
Staff will get the benefit of our lower cost of living, affordable homes ($307,000 average house price), and plenty of free time because there is no traffic
congestion and the commute to work is short
Check out our sunshine hours - no disputing we’ve got a great climate which means
a great lifestyle
Excellent educational facilities, from early childhood to tertiary level
Infrastructure - roading, telecommunications, electricity and water - as least as good if
not better than main centres
District Council is focused on business growth and getting alongside you to support
your development and growth
And we don’t stop when you’ve put down your roots here. The council is planning to
maintain and enhance the advantages for all those who locate or relocate in the city
So come and do business in ‘New Zealand’s Most Beautiful City!’
Great idea to be in the
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MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
THIS GREAT PLACEIt’s warm - 2,200 hours of sunshine each year. That’s streets ahead of most other New Zealand regions and only a smidgeon behind California. We have 350 kilometres of coastline – think swimming, surfing, fishing and sailing - and mountain ranges that shelter our fertile plains, which produce great food and wine in abundance. This all adds up to a region of alluring popularity with visiting New Zealanders and international tourists who also love our world-renowned Art Deco architecture and the outstanding landscapes of Te Mata Peak and Cape Kidnappers, where you can play golf on cliff tops 140 metres above the ocean. The region is fast becoming New Zealand’s cycling capital, with about 200 kilometres of dedicated trails that meander around and between our twin cities of Hastings and Napier. A great region a mere five-and-a-bit hours’ drive from Auckland.
OUR GREAT PEOPLEHawke’s Bay’s population is 159,000. We’re a happy, healthy and educated lot, and have the statistics to prove it. Ngati Kahungunu has New Zealand’s third largest iwi population and is centred in Hawke’s Bay. We grow great people - such as industrialist/entrepreneur Sir James Wattie, space scientist Sir Ian Axford, painter Rita Angus, Olympic gold medal rowers Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell (now Earl and Meyer), and a pack of All Blacks. It is home for technology entrepreneur and CEO of software company Xero, Rod Drury. Creator of the legendary Toyota ‘Bugger’ advertising campaign, Kim Thorp, has a Hawke’s Bay home. Businessman, Sir Graeme Avery, came to Hawke’s Bay to establish Sileni Estates winery, former New Zealand Tourism Board chief and the man behind the ‘100% Pure’ tourism campaign, George Hickton, now chairs Hawke’s Bay Tourism. Successful business people, the Lowes, Hicksons and Cushings, are proud Hawke’s Bay families.
INTRODUCING HAWKE’S BAY
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OUR GROWING ECONOMYHawke’s Bay makes a solid contribution to New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP). The biggest contributors to our GDP come from commercial and community services, with horticulture and processing, manufacturing and pastoral farming being other big earners. Regional GDP in 2014 was $6.354 billion and we are experiencing positive economic growth. While agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, forestry cropping, manufacturing and industry support services are the backbone of the regional economy, tourism also plays a vital role. Sophisticated new technologies, which have been developed to support our traditional industries, are being exported around the world. The region is in a strong position to take advantage of future economic development.
For many, Hastings is considered the ‘Fruit Bowl of New Zealand’. It is the bigger of the twin cities – Hastings and Napier – just 20 kilometres apart, and is full of diversity and culture.
Hastings has become the commercial centre of a successful and thriving primary sector region, with a new wave of industry and business spring-boarding from that solid economic foundation. This includes modern food processing and manufacturing technologies, robotics, research and other entrepreneurial activities, which are now being exported to the world.
And, of course, Hastings is the home of Wattie’s, one of New Zealand’s most trusted brands, which has been feeding the nation’s families since its establishment in 1934 when it made jams from wasting fruit. This, in turn, led to canning peaches and pears, baby foods and other food products. It is now a global food processor operating from the heart of Hastings.
Many Maori legends give the region a unique cultural atmosphere. The Maori name for Hawke’s Bay is ‘Te Matau a Maui’ or the ‘Hook of the Fish of Maui’. The name is based on the famous story of Maui. While on a fishing trip with his brothers, Maui caught a great fish that turned out to be the North Island of New Zealand. According to legend, the hook formed part of the North Island coastline which subsequently was named Hawke’s Bay.
HASTINGS IS A CITY OF INNOVATION AND DIVERSITYFood and wine are plentiful in Hastings and are among the best in New Zealand, if not the world. But the city also has a unique, interesting and appealing history.
Te Mata Peak is a significant landscape forming a Hastings backdrop. It is said that the great Maori Chief, Te Mata Rongokoko waged war with his rivals on the Heretaunga Plains. One day he fell in love with a neighbouring chief’s daughter and decided to woo her, instead of making war. She set him many tasks to prove himself, with the final one requiring him to eat his way through the great hill. Unfortunately, he choked on a rock and dropped to the ground where he still lies today. His body forms the outline of Te Mata Peak.
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ABOUT HASTINGS, HAWKE’S BAY
Source: Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, Statistics New Zealand and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment.
QUALIFICATIONSAged over 15 years
73.5%Formal
Qualification
14.5%Bachelor’s degree
or higher
AVERAGE ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$74,300Hastings
$88,400New Zealand
POPULATION159,000 Hawke’s Bay
Population
73,245
WORKING AGE POPULATION20-64 years
124,500 Hawke’s Bay working age population
39,900
21,439 15-39 years
22,368 40-64 years
Other Groups
AGE DISTRIBUTION
AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE
$307,000 Hastings
$329,000 Napier
$514,000New Zealand average
house price
YOU DO THE SUMS
PARKING
$0-$5for the day
HIGH $250 sqm pa
LOW $150 sqm pa
AVERAGE $200 sqm pa
COMMERCIAL GROSS RENTSAuckland average office rent $430m2
Wellington average office rent $390m2
$800 - $1,000Commercial office
$900 - $1,200Showroom
CONSTRUCTION COSTS (M2)
NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS
(year to April 2015) (national average is 11.7%)
UP 10.6%
COMMUTING
0-30MINSto drive around Napier and Hastings area
PEDESTRIAN COUNT HASTINGS CITY
1 Hour Average (2013)390
Hastings
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Marketview data is a combination of all electronic card spending at Paymark merchants and all electronic card spending by BNZ cardholders. Statistics are for the quarterly period to June 2015.
Change in spendingChange in spending over the same period last year.
RANK LOCATION VALUE OF SPENDING
CHANGE IN SPENDING
1 Hastings City $43,398,036 12.1%
2 Large Format Retail $6,967,877 12.6%
3 St Aubyn Street South $5,233,844 9.9%
4 Havelock North $24,182,915 2.7%
5 Rest of Hastings $96,265,791 1.0%
TOTAL $176,048,463 12%
Who is spending with our retailers Change in spending over the same period last year.
CARDHOLDER AREA
VALUE SPENT
CHANGE FROM SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR
Hastings $39.62 mn 7.6%
Napier City $5.91mn 8.9%
Central Hawkes Bay District $3.32 mn 12.7%
Wairoa $0.50 mn 35.3%
Tararua $0.24 mn 37.6%
Rest of NZ cardholders $5.7 mn 58.4%
International $0.31mn 4.5%
Retail category change in spending and performanceChange over same period last year.
RETAIL CATEGORY CHANGE FROM SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR
Accommodation 0.0%
Apparel 16.7%
Department Stores 9.1%
Electrical / Appliances 20.7%
Food and beverage services 11.4%
Food and grocery 13%
Fuel -14.2%
Furniture / Flooring 63.3%
Hardware / Homeware 8.1%
Other 3.8%
Recreational 7.5%
Source: Data provided by Marketview Limited.
Indicative retail rent range on total occupancy costHERETAUNGA STREET EAST BLOCKS100 $150 to $300/m²
200 $75 to $150/m²
300 $75 to $120/m²
HERETAUNGA STREET WEST BLOCKS100 $230 to $340/m²
200 $140 to $300/m²
300 $90 to $150/m²
RETAIL DETAIL
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ABOUT HASTINGS, HAWKE’S BAY
70%Hastings District
11%Napier City
18%Rest of NZ
1%International
DISTRIBUTION OF CARDHOLDERS
Including International cardholders. March 2015.
IN OUR AREA
Changes over same time last year. June 2015. Furniture/Flooring in our area had the largest growth amongst storetypes, up to 20.7%.
vs. last year63.3%
FASTEST GROWING STORE TYPES
FURNITURE/FLOORING $55,599,757
1,098,072Changes over same time last year. March 2015. Spending in our area grew by 2.6% over the same time last year. Transactions in our area grew by 4.0%.
12%
13.6%
HASTINGS QUARTERLY ACTIVITY
SPENDING
TRANSACTIONS
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Kiwibank
507 Eastbourne
Street
IMS Building
Farmers
Police
Court House
Spotlight
MegacentreThe Warehouse
Mitre 10FHO
Uncle Bills
School
Warehouse Stationery
Briscoes
New WorldSupermarket
Rebel Sport
ACC
HB Today
Hastings District Council
Library
Art Gallery
Doctors
i-SITE
Harvey Norman
Freedom
Bay PlazaKmart
WendysMuffinbreak
St Pierres SushiNo 1 Shoe WarehouseThe Baby Warehouse
Plaza Books
Countdown Supermarket
Pack and SaveSupermarket
Carls Junior
Mc Donalds
William Nelson Skate Park
Cornwall Park
Civic Square
HSBCCo-Op
ASB
BNZ
ASBRural
Westpac
East Bay Finance
Hastings Health Centre
Cinemas
ANZ
ANZ
TSB bank
Noel Leeming
Queens Square
School
Heretaunga House
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WILLOWPARK ROAD
HASTINGS STREET
KARAMU ROAD
WARREN STREET
RUSSELL STREET
KARAMU ROAD
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MARKET STREET
KING STREET
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NELSON STREET
CHARLES STREET
TOMOANA ROAD
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HASTINGS CITY MAP9
ABOUT HASTINGS, HAWKE’S BAY
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Local economies are about local people. Economic growth attracts more people, which in turn fuels further economic growth. Hawke’s Bay has the fifth largest population base in New Zealand.
DOING BUSINESS IN HASTINGS CITY
Hastings city is bounded by St Aubyn, Nelson, Southampton and Hastings Streets. The flat terrain means the city area can be walked easily in 20 minutes. There is a mix of single and double storey buildings that are influenced by Stripped Classical, Spanish Mission and Art Deco architectural styles. Modern office and retail buildings enhance the area which includes numerous parks, green spaces, fountains and public seating.
The city square is free of traffic and has landscaping and public art, adding a tremendous sense of atmosphere for shoppers, central city employees and visitors. People can usually park close to where they want to do business because of the wide streets and ample, convenient parking.
Commercial activity in Hastings city is strong, interspersed with many successful, long-term retailers.
Large format retail shops are conveniently located in a modern business park adjacent to the central city. This allows easy access and abundant car parking. A range of cafes and entertainment options also attract people into the city.
WITHIN CIVIC SQUARE SIT POU, CARVED POLES REPRESENTING TIPUNA (ANCESTORS) FROM 18
MARAE OF NGATI KAHUNGUNU IWI.
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JOIN THE CITY VIBE
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Members don’t have to be dragged reluctantly to be involved because the Association is on target with activities and initiatives that are relevant, focused and successful.
As an example, and only a small one, the Night Market initiative, which draws people into the city every Thursday evening has its own Facebook page with around 4,500 very active followers. Leveraging this popular social media site provides great reach to new customers.
The Hastings City Business Association is a high-octane performer that should be one of your first ports of call if you’re considering relocating from other parts of Hawke’s Bay or outside the region.
It is this sort of leveraging the Association uses to help new and existing businesses. Representing around 480 businesses in the city, membership is made up of retail, professional and service businesses, including landlords and tenants. Various initiatives revolve around marketing, beautification and piggy-backing on other, established events such as the Blossom Parade and Horse of the Year, to attract people into the city centre.
Networking opportunities are also meaningful, often with functions organised around distinctive city blocks so that neighbouring businesses get to know each other, share ideas on what marketing techniques and promotions are working and discuss solutions to business concerns. Annual business awards help inspire and motivate businesses to achieve excellence in all that they do. After the grand award ceremony, the Association analyses notes from the judging process to develop workshops that help businesses build and
“TRANSFORMING A CITY IS ABOUT HAVING A SENSE OF PRIDE. IT’S ABOUT HAVING THAT ‘HOME TOWN’ FEELING OF BELONGING. TO INSTILL THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ENJOYABLE, SAFE ENVIRONMENT.”
SUSAN MCDADE, GENERAL MANAGER, HASTINGS CITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
improve their skills. It uses its networks to link those with the relevant expertise to others who need it.
The Association throws its weight behind individual and group marketing promotions and, when it knows there is a newcomer in town, visits with a welcome pack which includes plenty of information and a range of discount vouchers and other goodies.
City Assist is a Council initiative that is supported by the Association. Six City Assist team members are highly visible in their stand-out purple shirts and provide passive security to make sure people feel safe in the city.
“Transforming a city is about having a sense of pride. It’s about having that ‘home town’ feeling of belonging. To instill that, you have to have an enjoyable, safe environment.
“This is the best place to live in New Zealand - Hawke’s Bay was always my first choice of place to live,” says the Association’s General Manager, Susan McDade. She’s New Zealand-born but her Canadian accent gives away the fact she spent many years living there before returning home.
“I just love the people here. Hastings is all about its people, the amazing business people and the city’s personalities, such as our community constable – she’s Wonder Woman.”
Being awarded ‘New Zealand’s Most Beautiful City’ was a fantastic confirmation of the work we are doing here.
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DOING BUSINESS IN HASTINGS CITY
He is not yet 50 but his return to Hawke’s Bay shows there is good reason to be confident about the region’s potential.
Michael spent more than 20 years developing businesses throughout New Zealand and internationally. He is a New Zealand Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, retains a number of interests in hospitality and healthcare industries, including the multi-national Atlantis
Healthcare Group and the Britomart Hospitality Group, and is a Hastings urban developer. He owns Te Mata Mushrooms, New Zealand’s second-largest mushroom producer, which employs 120 staff.
Not one to take a back seat, Michael heads the Hastings City Business Association.
“It’s a chance to put the shoulder to the wheel and try to make a difference from a private sector point of view. Changes are coming, retailing is changing and there is an opportunity to revive the central city. It’s a chance to rewrite the rules, invigorate the city and bring more people into the city,” he says.
“Hastings is the commercial hub of Hawke’s Bay. It is where you want to be for anything commercial. It has good commercial infrastructure and a council that is out there supporting and proactively attracting new business and commerce to the city,” says Michael.
As City Business Association Chairman, he is realistic about the city’s provincial size and population.
“We won’t look like Auckland or Wellington – and we don’t want to – but we are doing something special and meaningful.
“Hawke’s Bay as a region bats above its weight and the brand of Hawke’s Bay puts it well ahead of other provincial areas. No-one can take that away from us. You only need to ask people around New Zealand whether they would shift to Hawke’s Bay if a suitable job came up – and in a heartbeat they would be here.”
The focus of the business association is to build a vibrant, tight city centre that acts as the core of the city.
“Do that and the rest will take care of itself. It is taking time and the reality is catching up with the dream.”
International businessman and entrepreneur Michael Whittaker has always had a canny instinct for seeing opportunities that are easily missed by others.
REALITY CATCHING UP TO THE DREAM
• Operating costs are about 20 percent lower than in major cities and the savings could be more when labour costs are also taken into account
• Accessibility to everything, including business partners and support, air transport and lifestyle
• It is easy to get to the people you need to see to make things happen
• Diverse labour force
• Capacity for new business to easily establish in the city.
MICHAEL LISTS HASTINGS’ GREATEST COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
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“IN THE FUTURE, I SEE A FULLY MIXED-USE CITY
CENTRE WITH MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE TENANCIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, MODERN BUILDINGS THAT
BLEND NEW WITH OLD AND CREATING A SAFE, SECURE
AND VIBRANT CITY.”MICHAEL WHITTAKER,
HASTINGS CITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
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PowerUnison is the primary provider of infrastructure for delivering electricity throughout Hawke’s Bay. Hawke’s Bay’s central location enables a robust distribution network, with supplies being transmitted from north and south generation sources. This supply diversity helps bolster electricity reliability. Unison’s Smart Network system is one of the most innovative in New Zealand.
Fibre / TelecommunicationsUnisonFibre’s high-speed network offers lit Ethernet service speeds ranging from 100 Megabits to 1 Gigabits, with network bandwidth capacity designed to scale as demand grows. Its fibre optic network covers key commercial and industrial precincts in Hastings and Napier.
RoadingQuality roading systems and no traffic snarls contribute to business efficiency and significant cost savings. State Highway 2 brings traffic from the south and continues to Gisborne, north. State Highway 5 links Hawke’s Bay with Taupo and through to Auckland. Hastings to Auckland is a five hour drive. Hastings to Wellington is less than four hours.
SPARK DIGITALSpark Digital has the infrastructure in Hastings, and throughout Hawke’s Bay business areas, to deliver the latest fibre network services that enable faster communication and decision-making. You can do more online at the same time, such as video conferencing, IP telephony and transferring large files.
It is all about managing data, voice and video with more speed, capacity and control. Spark Digital has Cloud computing services and will tailor solutions to fit company size and requirements.
If you are setting up in the city of Hastings, you will be able to access all the same high tech, high quality services that businesses in the main centres have available.
Hawke’s Bay Airport The efficiency and frequency of planes through Hawke’s Bay Airport mean you can fly to Auckland in almost the same time that it takes many Aucklanders to make the daily commute to work. On a typical day, there are up to 10 return flights to Auckland and others to Wellington and Christchurch, with services to fit the business day, including early morning departures and end-of-day flights home when work is finished. The airport is approximately 20 minutes from the Hastings city.
Napier PortNapier Port is central New Zealand’s leading international port and the fourth largest container port in the country. In the past two years, Napier Port has invested $40 million in new facilities and has future infrastructure developments of $80 million scheduled for the next five years.
Water The Heretaunga Plains aquifer is a significant natural resource for Hawke’s Bay. It is one of the clearest and cleanest sources of water in New Zealand. It is used for public water supply throughout Hastings.
Infrastructure is a key part of business decision making. Hastings has one of the best climates in New Zealand, matched by a high standard of infrastructure.
HIGH QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE
CHORUSChorus is New Zealand’s largest telecommunications infrastructure company, maintaining and building a network, predominantly made up of local telephone exchanges, cabinets and copper and fibre cables. It is an open access network with many different phone and internet providers.
Chorus is building about 70 percent of the ultrafast broadband (UFB) network throughout New Zealand in a public-private partnership with the Government. This covers businesses, homes and schools in
Hastings. This ‘fibre to the premises’ (FTTP) network means it is possible to deliver the highest data speeds that can support services like internet television and high definition video conferencing. It delivers large amounts of data further and faster than conventional, copper broadband.
The rollout of Chorus’ UFB network in Hastings and Napier is making good progress, with the project about 42 percent complete.
“UFB has the potential to transform Hastings’ and Napier’s economies and the way people connect to the rest of the
world,” says Chorus General Manager of Infrastructure Ed Beattie.
“The benefits of a UFB-connected business are widespread. There is growth from improved productivity, lower travel costs, greater flexibility for people to work from home, lower network and ICT expenses, and savings from moving applications into the cloud.
“Another bonus is the ability to communicate more easily and efficiently with suppliers, customers and business partners on a global scale,” he says.
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WHY TAKE A CAR WHEN YOU CAN TAKE A BUSHastings and Napier are just 20 kilometres apart so it is easy to catch a bus to travel between the two cities, or to get from the suburbs into work.
The public transport network is efficient and affordable, with generous concessions for smart card passengers.
Included in the public transport network is an express bus service which travels between Havelock North, Hastings and Napier, with the inter-city ride taking just 35 minutes. Two express services operate each morning and evening, in both directions, to fit with work schedules, while other buses travel between Hastings and Napier every 20 minutes in peak times and every half hour off peak.
Services bringing suburban commuters into each city are frequent, and timed to provide central city workers with the option of leaving their cars at home. Bikes are carried free of charge on most of the bus fleet, and passengers are encouraged to combine cycling with their bus trip. Bike stands have been installed at many of the regular bus stops.
Successful cities around the world rely on effective public transport – Hastings is no exception. Providing convenient connections means people can make smarter choices about how they travel to and from work each day. Being flat and easy to navigate makes Hastings a great city for those who like to combine walking and cycling with public transport routes in and around the city.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
The availability of world-leading fibre optic communication technology, attractive lifestyle and lower cost of living advantages mean there is a growing number of specialist business advisers living in Hawke’s Bay. They are either working for established firms or operating their own consultancies. A change in business attitudes, which favour video conferencing and remote communication, is encouraging greater relocation to Hastings of this high-level expertise. Those partnered with international firms can tap into extensive national and overseas knowledge.
There’s a spirit of cooperation. Organisations are cohesive and work collaboratively, enabling access to a full range of services to help a business to succeed. In a nutshell, you can tap into expertise in Hawke’s Bay on a local, national or international scale without paying big city prices.
This support all comes in a region where the cost of delivery and charge out rates are more cost effective than bigger cities. Some put these operational savings as high as 20 percent.
Whether it is tax and accounting services, engineering, legal or valuation through to the all-important Internet, Communications and IT support services that you need to support your business, it is readily available in Hawke’s Bay.
You can expect to find the same level and quality of advice in Hawke’s Bay as you would in any major centre. Government agencies represented in Hawke’s Bay include New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Callaghan Innovation, along with a wide range of sector-based networks.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
Hastings has a diverse range of service providers, resources and expertise to support all types of business, no matter the size, scale or sector.
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Rick Cranswick is Principal and Chief Executive of Crowe Horwath in Hastings, which is part of an international network of accounting firms providing local business solutions in a global environment.
His firm employs 70 staff and delivers a full spectrum of business and financial services, with a focus on small to medium sized companies that make Hawke’s Bay a vibrant region in which to live and work.
“One of the benefits of dealing with a Hawke’s Bay service provider is that a business can tap into expertise on a local, national or international scale and still maintain quality of service with a regional flavour.
“Additional services can be easily accessed via the Internet and airline connections
enable people with expert skills to live anywhere, work from their home-town base and then easily travel to deliver key aspects of their work.
“Given the traffic congestion and delays in Auckland, and the close proximity of facilities here, we can travel from Hawke’s Bay to Australia in a day in almost the same time it takes an Aucklander to make the trip. But we have such a wonderful lifestyle and lower cost of living,” says Rick.
“I’ve done business in Australia and all parts of New Zealand and I can’t think of any business service that we can’t access from here.”
Rick Cranswick, Principal and Chief Executive, Crowe Horwath, Hastings
Murray Cowan is a director of Grow HR, a human resources, employment relations and health and safety specialist company. He says Hawke’s Bay has an abundance of available labour and delivers a huge number of candidates for a diverse range of positions.
Grow HR operates from the Hastings city and works across the market, from large-scale global enterprises to small family firms, providing services on behalf of its local and national clients.
“There are more good people than jobs so there is no difficulty finding the right people. There is likely to be a lower rate of staff turnover because employees are committed to the region and won’t flick between similar roles,” he says.
“Operating a business from Hawke’s Bay delivers a lot of local and out of region business opportunities. You get to live in a popular tourist and visitor destination that provides a wonderful lifestyle,” he says. Some of the serious financial advantages are a lower cost of operation and a readily available resource of great staff.
Grow HR is an example of a company starting from scratch and excelling in its field of expertise. The company employs nine staff attracting business from around New Zealand.
Murray Cowan, Director, Grow Human Resources
“I’VE DONE BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA AND ALL PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND AND I CAN’T THINK OF ANY BUSINESS SERVICE THAT WE CAN’T ACCESS FROM HERE.”RICK CRANSWICK, PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CROWE HORWATH, HASTINGS
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SUPPORT SERVICES
Growing a vibrant and fun city centre doesn’t happen by chance. The Hastings District Council has a 20-year strategy to create a cohesive, coordinated approach to future development.
The strategy focuses on strengthening the city’s identity and creating a competitive, attractive place for business. It embraces its productive hinterland, acknowledging that it forms the base on which economic development can grow. It is a combination of physical changes throughout the city centre and a range of softer economic developments to build greater vibrancy and economic resilience.
A more targeted and collaborative approach to city centre activity opens opportunities for commercial development, such as the new Kiwibank branch.
The Council’s Strategic Projects Manager, Raoul Oosterkamp, describes the strategy as being flexible enough to react to a rapidly changing environment.
“The beauty of Hastings is that it’s got flat land, it’s easy to navigate, it’s well serviced, has high amenity and a progressive vibe – it’s got all the base elements that a great city needs,” he says.
“It’s about creating a city centre which is conducive to investment and provides great business, customer and visitor experiences,” says Raoul.
Clustering is being championed. “It’s important to have precinct anchors around which an area can build an identity. People can begin to recognise where they will find the services they are looking for and the businesses in each precinct can benefit each other. It provides a level of certainty and distinguishes different parts of the city.
AGILE CITY PLANNING AND DESIGN
“I see a city centre of significant opportunity. It has huge possibilities and is on the cusp of heading in a new direction. It is repositioning itself but not losing sight of its tradition, of its productive soils, but developing as a commercial, professional and innovative centre of choice.
“That would attract me here if I was in business.”
THE STRATEGY SETS GOALS OF:• Concentrating business back into the
city by tightening zoning activities and identifying precincts for similar activities, such as commercial, entertainment and cafes
• Maintaining and enhancing an attractive and vibrant city centre
• Having open spaces and easy access that connects different parts of the city, with well maintained city streets and footpaths
• Ensuring the city centre’s urban form is retained.
1. Twin city opportunities, with Hastings and Napier being just 20 kilometres apart, and with a combined, available workforce of about 90,000
2. It has a mature, educated and stable workforce with life skills and experience
3. Efficient public transport and roading links between the two cities and no traffic delays
4. Compact city with excellent infrastructure5. Career pathways for 25 – 45 age bracket6. Sustainable work opportunities7. Affordable cost of living and quality of life / you get a
lot more for your money if you’re cashing up out of Auckland or main centre housing markets
8. Central location in North Island and great regional base. Within a 3.5 hour commute (Hastings to Wellington), there are about 1 million people, plenty of tertiary education/graduates
9. Hastings is a growing base for head offices and government agencies
10. Low risk to business continuity – low flood, liquefaction, earthquake risk and plenty of flat land.
TOP 10 CITY ADVANTAGES:
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IDENTIFYING MARKET OPPORTUNITIESThere are many properties and businesses in the 36 blocks of the Hastings city and Lee Neville is making it his business to scout for opportunities.
Like many other Hawke’s Bay-born people who moved out of the province in their youth, Craig Cameron has come back to Hawke’s Bay to enjoy the lifestyle and give back a little to the region where he grew up. His role at the Hastings District Council, as Economic Development Manager, is to entice new business into the city.
“Hastings, and the wider Hawke’s Bay region, has strong competitive advantages. We’ve got suitable commercial property, depth in the workforce and world-class IT infrastructure.
“We’re investing in essential services but also encouraging associated amenities such as high-quality visitor accommodation, maintaining streetscapes and park vistas, creating a safe environment and continuing to revitalise the city.”
Hastings has already confirmed that it is an ideal destination for contact and business processing activities by attracting Kiwibank to the city.
The Council is also carefully planning the city’s future design to ensure it meets the changing demands of business.
“The face of retail and the structure of provincial city centres are changing, and the pace of that change is increasing so we have developed strategies that acknowledge those changes. The Hastings city and surrounds will be different to what they have historically been, which is a retail and consumer support hub,” he says.
Craig sees growth in business-related servicing activity, with ability to serve New Zealand and the wider Pacific region from the Hastings city. The city is already experiencing that positive growth through the relocation or expansion of HR, accounting, legal, engineering firms and other business support companies.
• The range of buildings that lend themselves to larger, open plan activity
• Properties that can be easily and cost-effectively transformed to meet specific requirements
• Competitive property and building costs
• Lower lease costs than in major centres
• Other businesses of a reasonable size are now clustering in the city, creating a vibrant environment and opportunities to share knowledge
• A supportive council that can facilitate business relocation
• Travelling times in and around the region are quick. The flight to Auckland is barely one hour and you can reach international destinations the same day.
HASTINGS IS LOOKING GREAT:
As Economic Development Project Manager, Lee has been systematically checking what’s going on in Hastings’ city, identifying opportunities for new business and options for redevelopment.
“From our council database, we’re able to look at a block and study each property profile, its land and building value, the pedestrian count, lease and construction costs and consider other comparable businesses operating in that area.
“We’re reinvigorating the city and taking a targeted approach across each city block to get the best outcomes,” says Lee.
“Discussing needs and options with us at an early stage means new opportunities within the city can be identified and we can create a proposal for any business to consider” says Lee. An example could involve opportunities for an existing business to move from fringe areas into one of the blocks within the city.
“We can put together business proposals, from new opportunities to assisting with decisions on expansion and diversification required for a business to stay competitive in the market.”
This assistance includes information on indicative capital budgets, lease income, retail statistics, pedestrian counts, council infrastructure development and alternative locations within the Hastings city. The coordinated approach between all parties gives a greater chance of a successful outcome.
One of the key actions a council can take is to invest in infrastructure to give businesses an attractive and solid foundation.
CITY FOUNDATION BLOCKS WELL IN PLACE
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FUTURE PLANNING
“IT’S ABOUT CREATING A CITY CENTRE WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO INVESTMENT
AND PROVIDES GREAT BUSINESS, CUSTOMER AND VISITOR EXPERIENCES”
RAOUL OOSTERKAMP, STRATEGIC PROJECTS MANAGER, HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL
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LOGAN STONE Valuation and property experts
PAGE 30
KIWIBANK Banking and contact centre operations
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TANGLIN GROUP Commercial property development
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INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD (IMS PAYROLL) Develops and delivers payroll systems
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SUZELLE LINGERIE Retail customer service
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FOCAL POINT CINEMAS Innovators in the movie industry
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BEST TRAVEL Leisure and corporate travel company
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ANTON HAKKAART Anton and family came to Hastings for the lifestyle
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EASTEK Security and surveillance services
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COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL HAWKE’S BAY Commercial real estate company
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WALLACE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY Commercial property development
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MACKERSEY GROUP Commercial/residential construction, property ownership and development
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GEMCO GROUP Fully integrated commercial and residential construction company and trades services
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HANSEN PROPERTY GROUP Niche property development company
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STRATA GROUP Consulting engineers
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CASE STUDIES
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BUSINESS CASE STUDIES
Cam Ward, the company’s central region director, gives several reasons to paint a positive picture for the Hastings city.
“As a result of the Christchurch earthquake, the Hastings District Council is looking carefully at areas of the business district to see how the city should be shaped for the future. Buildings are being seismically strengthened and we are beginning to see business tenancies jostling for position,” says Cam.
“Tenants are discerning and landlords are responding, providing more seismically safe and sound and aesthetically pleasing buildings. There is good availability and tonnes of opportunity,” says Cam.
There is also a significant amount of clustering emerging, with similar businesses
Colliers International, Hawke’s Bay, has sold more than $90 million of commercial and industrial property in the region in the past year. It handles 80 percent of these property transactions in Hastings.
CONFIDENCE AND OPPORTUNITY
locating in the same zone, such as banks, furniture retailers and large, national stores. This, says Cam, provides retail and office sectors an opportunity to relocate, with boutique retailers able to cluster in the high-street precinct of the city.
“Hastings provides a good snapshot of provincial New Zealand, with national retail stores thriving and the small retailers suffering but condensing and clustering can create a strong, robust city.”
Occupancy costs are lower than in main centres and while it is difficult to put a definitive figure on potential savings, Cam estimates a large commercial company can expect to save several million dollars annually when the whole gambit of cost savings, including labour, are taken into account.
“Hastings has always been a strong city and we see that with companies such as Bunnings, Harvey Norman, New World Supermarket and Mitre 10 located in the city.
“There is good demand for good property and I have three to four national tenants looking to relocate to Hastings and that’s exciting for the city. It’s a desirable place in which to operate a business and there is a willingness from the council to come up with creative ways to encourage more relocation,” says Cam.
Looking to the future, I am extremely positive. I’m hopeful that the Ruataniwha Dam project will happen and that will grow the population and generate greater economic growth.
We already have all the lifestyle attributes that people want and migration of new people into the region would be great for future growth and to drive new commercial opportunities.”
“THE LABOUR MARKET POOL IS STRONG - WE’VE GOT SOME FANTASTIC PEOPLE HERE.”CAM WARD, DIRECTOR, CENTRAL REGION, COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL
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COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL
Hastings $200 - $250
Napier $250 - $300
Tauranga $300 - $350
Waikato $300 - $400
Auckland $400 - $500
The company is headquartered in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, with offices in Auckland, Tauranga and Palmerston North and projects on the go around the North Island. Managing Director, Jonathan Wallace, is a frequent flyer but he prefers to base himself in Hawke’s Bay because of the excellent lifestyle of the region.
The majority of the company’s projects are completed for known clients who are committed prior to the start of detailed design and construction, with options to lease or purchase completed premises. Its planning and strategic development expertise, from sourcing sites to project management and delivering a ‘turnkey’ solution, gives the company a market edge.
Projects might involve building completely new premises or upgrading
PROVIDING TURNKEY SOLUTIONS
and redeveloping existing properties, all supported by an in-house team of architectural designers and an independent engineering company.
Recent work in Hastings involved an $8 million transformation of the city’s old Power Board building. The four-storeyed, earthquake prone building has been converted to a two-level, 100 percent-compliant, attractive office site of 3,000m2 occupied by media group NZME, ACC and global engineering company MWH.
“We converted an ugly building, taking out floor space to improve the site, resulting in economic, attractive office rental with good light and parking.”
Another major Hastings project involved the redevelopment of 6,000m2 now occupied by the national retail chain, Farmers, on an iconic corner in the western corridor of Hastings’ city. A lot of what Jonathan describes as “tatty little buildings” were demolished to make way for two levels of high quality retail space. Work was carefully managed around a heritage building and existing tenants.
“Hawke’s Bay has a very high standard of construction capability and subcontractors. They’re as good as anywhere else in New Zealand,” says Jonathan.
The advantages of relocating business to Hawke’s Bay, he says, are the cheaper costs than in bigger centres and a reliable workforce.
The Wallace Development Company has been developing commercial, industrial and retail properties for New Zealand businesses for more than 30 years.
JONATHAN WALLACE PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING COST INDICATORS FOR M2 LEASING RATES:
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WALLACE DEVELOPMENT
MARKET KNOWLEDGE BUILT OVER GENERATIONS
That ability comes after more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry. David heads the Mackersey Group, which operates a specialist commercial construction company with more than 80 staff, and Mackersey Development, a stand-alone business providing property development and management services and owning an extensive family property portfolio.
The family construction company started operating in 1948, with David taking over the management reins from his father in
1988. His daughter, Annah, has joined the business, specialising in leasing, building compliance, insurance and being the first point of contact for agents and prospective tenants.
Being a long-term player in the Hastings and Hawke’s Bay markets comes with advantages: there is a solid track record of professionally managing large construction projects from start to finish, having an ability to meet tight deadlines, having a detailed grasp of the cyclical ups and downs of construction and development and enjoying business stability.
“There are advantages of living here and focusing solely on the Hawke’s Bay market. I can tap into an extensive network of contacts, we have quality, loyal staff and there is a great
diversity of business, which enables the region to weather economic storms.
“For example, when one sector is struggling another will be strong and adding value to the economy,” says David. Tourism is growing rapidly, wineries are making strong economic gains and the favourable lifestyle is attractive to individuals and businesses looking for a new home.
Mackersey Development is well placed to also weather those storms. It provides a ‘one stop shop’ approach to commercial developments, with options for lease back, joint venture with the company or outside investors or a full turnkey project from design to construction. While Mackersey Construction operates in the industrial and commercial sectors, there is an off-shoot timber and joinery business that services a wider market.
“New businesses are coming to Hawke’s Bay, the commercial building market is strong and that’s reflective of New Zealand’s overall positive performance. Hawke’s Bay is getting its share.
“THERE ARE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES HERE JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN.”DAVID MACKERSEY, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MACKERSEY GROUP
David Mackersey can flick his eye over a set of building plans and tell you almost instantly, and with precision, the estimated cost of the project.
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MACKERSEY GROUP
“HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN HAWKE’S BAY HAS THE ADDED BONUS OF THE MAGIC WORD ‘LIFESTYLE’. DARREN DIACK, MANAGING DIRECTOR, GEMCO
The company started in 2001 as a project management company, moved into the building industry two years later and by 2007, it had morphed into a fully integrated construction business. It employs 110 staff, including its own team of skilled trades staff, which includes carpenters, electricians, joiners, masons, painters, plasterers, plumbers and tilers.
Its construction work covers the full gambit of activity from residential, industrial and commercial, through to design and build, project management, planning, programming and budgeting.
Despite its size and involvement in significantly large and complex projects, Gemco is considered a family orientated
Gemco is a significant player in the building development and construction market in Hawke’s Bay, having completed more than $300 million worth of projects in its first 10 years of operation.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
business. The company has a strong structure in place but there is no hierarchal emphasis, with each staff member being respected for the talent and ability they bring to the team.
“Staff are selected on both attitude and skill, but attitude is always the priority,” says Managing Director Darren Diack. Staff turnover is low. More than 40 percent of staff have been with the company for 10 years, which is a considerable achievement given the company started less than 14 years ago.
Gemco is a proven leader in the Hawke’s Bay construction industry. Among its achievements are major projects such as the grandstand at the Hawke’s Bay Sports Park, the Hawke’s Bay Museum, Theatre and Gallery (MTG), which involved an $18 million development, winery cellar door buildings and a new administration and research building for the Faculty of Maori Studies at the region’s Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT).
The emphasis is always on performance, innovation and quality and its building blocks for growth revolve around its people and their attitudes.
“These are the foundations for our everyday growth and determiners of success. We would not have experienced the growth and success that we have without our loyal staff, subcontractors and clients,” says Darren.
“We find no barriers at all to doing business in provincial New Zealand where suppliers, subcontractors, consultants and clients are all great, decent people and this makes business enjoyable and, importantly, profitable,” says Darren.
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GEMCO
He owns the Hansen Property Group, which has investment properties in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. As a niche property company, the focus is on working with tenants to find a tailor-made property solution that meets both needs and budget.
There are two key tenant groups working with the company: new entrants bringing new business into Hawke’s Bay, and existing local businesses relocating to improved premises.
Rob specialises in identifying property that will work for a particular tenant. He has a hands-on approach through the process. That means working directly with the tenant, from scoping the potential of a building to ensuring the key design attributes are achieved. He also manages the entire process from the legal and consent requirements through to project and property management.
“We’re involved with several companies looking to expand and grow and finding suitable property which is tailored to their needs. Existing businesses are often looking to increase their profile through location and require modern, purpose-specified building space.
“It could be office, medical, industrial or retail propositions. They maybe wanting upmarket stores or offices that have a modern layout with open plan spaces, fully
Rob Hansen has an extensive background in commercial property and has found lots of opportunities since returning home to Hawke’s Bay.
NICHE PROPERTY COMPANY SCOUTS FOR SOLUTIONS
fitted with the latest communication and data technology, with plenty of natural light and generous carparking,” says Rob.
There is a range of properties available within the central business district but matching tenants to properties can take time and sometimes involves flexibility from all parties. Some older buildings may require work to modernise or provide earthquake strengthening to convert them to a new, fresh and useful life.
“Hastings is going through a lot of changes and will continue to do so. The Global Financial Crisis slowed down activity but I think the city is starting on an upward charge and I want to see that through.
“I’m here for the long term so I’m proactive and positive about Hastings and I’m keen to be part of generating new life and pride in the city,” says Rob.
“My advice to businesses considering relocating to Hastings from elsewhere in New Zealand is to consider the cost effective solutions and the pool of high-calibre, stable staff. It’s a user friendly environment without the commuting issues of the larger centres.
“Hawke’s Bay offers a fantastic lifestyle for business owners and their employees.” Rob and his family returned to Hawke’s Bay in 2009 after living elsewhere for more than 14 years.
“HAWKE’S BAY OFFERS A FANTASTIC LIFESTYLE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.”ROB HANSEN, DIRECTOR AND PROJECT MANAGER, HANSEN PROPERTY GROUP
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HANSEN PROPERTY GROUP
Bruce and Callum Wood in Christchurch, they share decades of experience in structural and civil engineering. With a team of 25 engineers and draughtsmen, Strata can handle many aspects of the design process in a one-stop-shop, and work in with other professionals, such as architects and project managers.
The leading, multi-disciplinary professional engineering consultancy’s Hawke’s Bay branch is based in Queen Street, in the Hastings city. From there, its team works on national and international projects.
Headed up by Hawke’s Bay directors Guy Lethbridge, Russell Nettlingham, Duncan
Forget jokes about colourless, boring engineers. Strata Group is a bunch of switched on people helping to put together some
of the more high-profile projects in Hawke’s Bay.
GREAT ENGINEERING MINDS IN HEART
OF HASTINGS
Over the past few years, they have built up more experience in seismic strengthening and, as confidence grows in the region, have been working on more greenfield projects in industrial, commercial and residential sectors.
“Historically, we have mainly serviced the local demand but we are now competing with bigger corporate engineering firms and our work outside the region is increasing.
Hawke’s Bay high profile projects have included the ABB building at the Airport Business Park, the Colliers building on Napier’s Marine Parade and Mitre 10 Mega, Hastings. Strata is also involved with the new Village Exchange which is under construction in Havelock North and a new water bottling plant at the Tomoana Food Hub.
Elsewhere, projects include coldstore and food processing, widespan warehousing, industrial, commercial and subdivision engineering. Strata keeps ahead through its constant innovation, research initiatives and investment in the latest technology, bringing vision, value and professionalism to client projects.
“WE HAVE ATTRACTED A GREAT TEAM WITH A DIVERSE RANGE OF SKILLS, INCLUDING STAFF FROM SRI LANKA, CHINA, PAKISTAN AND SOUTH AFRICA, WHO ALL ENJOY THE GREAT LIFESTYLE THAT HAWKE’S BAY OFFERS”. RUSSELL NETTLINGHAM, DIRECTOR, STRATA GROUP
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STRATA GROUP
The company is engaged by New Zealand’s largest land-owning entity, the Department of Conservation (DOC), conducting asset valuations and providing advice from Stewart and Chatham Islands to Cape Reinga. Other clients include New Zealand’s major winery companies, large horticultural corporates and it regularly carries out valuation assignments on high value property portfolios.
Director Boyd Gross has extensive valuation experience covering primary industry property sectors, specialising in horticulture, viticulture and wineries, while Frank Spencer, a director of the central city business since 1996, specialises in special purpose property, including post harvest assets, tourism, investment and industrial sectors.
“Because of the diversity and complexity of the Hawke’s Bay economy, we have been able to gain a broad base of expertise through our exposure to transactions across challenging economic situations. Property assignments are exciting and dynamic, and exporting our Hawke’s Bay experience often provides a practical edge.
“Hawke’s Bay’s natural industries, such as horticulture, viticulture, processing and, more recently tourism, have enabled us to grow our expertise in these sectors locally and export that knowledge nationally,” says Frank.
“We’re able to network across New Zealand, and regularly internationally, maintaining our Hawke’s Bay core values of integrity, objectivity and confidentiality. Most of our assignments are a mind challenge
but we are comfortable with that because we have gained a breadth of experience that would not necessarily be available to a metropolitan practitioner. If we were in Wellington or Auckland, it is likely we would have just one area of expertise.”
Working and living in Hawke’s Bay comes with a multitude of advantages, according to Frank. There’s more “thinking time” due to the easy lifestyle and environment and less disruption than in a major centre – “more time to keep ourselves sharp”.
“I can walk across the street and bump into clients, colleagues and professional peers and discuss issues. We can get across the natural cartels more easily and there’s a collective body of support for local businesses,” he says.
“Doing business from Hastings is simple. There is good infrastructure and it is easy to travel. We can be on the ground in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch by 8am any morning of the week and easily move around New Zealand.
“Hawke’s Bay has a reputation as a desirable place to live and a source of enterprise. Most people in New Zealand seem to know someone in Hawke’s Bay and so credentials are easily confirmed and networks bring opportunity.
“I can be on a job elsewhere around New Zealand and quite quickly the people I’m doing business with will be able to make their own links to those they know in Hawke’s Bay.”
Hastings company Logan Stone has amassed a vast amount of valuation and property expertise and exported it around New Zealand.
EXPORTING LOCAL EXPERTISE
• Specialist knowledge of primary industry property sectors, including dairy and pastoral
• Experience of retail, wholesale, manufacturing, warehousing, processing, accommodation, health, tourism and special purpose property valuations and property advice
• Extensive experience in valuing special purpose property for public and private sector
• Valuations for financial reporting, disposal and development, rental and insurance
• Adaptive reuse of special purpose property following cessation of specific design activity
• Market assessments
• Industrial and commercial property.
LOGAN STONE CHECKLIST:
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LOGAN STONE
Terry May has brokered some of Hawke’s Bay’s big property deals, either as investor, developer or working as project manager or consultant for other companies.
PROVEN DEAL MAKER
With 30 years of commercial property experience, which includes work in New Zealand’s biggest cities, Terry has based himself in Havelock North since his return to Hawke’s Bay in 2004.
“In 30 years, I’ve been involved in a lot of development of different buildings, from large industrial work to high rise apartments and commercial blocks so I’ve probably seen it all,” says Terry, Managing Director of Tanglin Group. In Auckland, he had a project delivery role in the 21-floor, office block known as the Gen-i Tower and was development manager for the 38-floor, ANZ Tower, to name just two major jobs. In Wellington, Terry played a significant role in the development of Vodafone on the Quay, a 23-floor high rise, Vodafone Technology Centre, a small, high tech switch and office
facility and the 40,000m2 large format MegaCentre in Porirua.
In Hawke’s Bay, he put together the large format retail development and consent for Harvey Norman Centre, on-sold the development concept and consent for Briscoes and Rebel Sport and had involvement in other major projects such as Kmart Plaza shopping centre, a large format retail centre in central Napier, and was integrally involved in attracting the Kiwibank regional office to Hastings. There is also a string of industrial buildings with his name behind them.
Terry’s track record shows he’s skilled at enticing new business to the region; Kiwibank, Harvey Norman, Rebel Sport and Snap Fitness, to cite a few. He is able to
network among his out-of-town contacts to put together deals that might otherwise disappear to other centres.
Terry says he enjoys working in Hawke’s Bay where he’s able to capitalise on his big-city experience and networks to be a generalist, working as deal maker, investor, developer or consultant.
So why tackle the Hawke’s Bay market? Prior to the May family shifting to Hawke’s Bay in 2004, they were based in Martinborough, with Terry commuting around New Zealand, and more frequently to Hawke’s Bay. With three young children and the need for a stable schooling environment, the family shifted to Hawke’s Bay, which was both parents’ home town.
Terry has a reputation for getting jobs done on time and within budget and enjoys being in the driver’s seat. He’s successfully competed in Targa rallying and circuit racing and is now chief engineer and support person for his young son’s karting pursuits. When he played golf, it was on a 9 handicap but that game’s off the agenda while family and luring new business to Hawke’s Bay take priority.
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TANGLIN GROUP
It involved a collaborative effort, with thrust from the Great Things Grow Here team at the Hastings District Council, to seal the deal.
The story began with Kiwibank reviewing its business continuity strategy and deciding a strong regional office was required to reduce the risk of having most of its transactional services based in Wellington and Auckland.
Enter property owner and developer Terry May who approached the council for help to build a compelling case to entice Kiwibank to the region. He says that the financial part of the deal probably stacked up to be a winner but the council put a heavy-weight front on the proposal and he believes that made the difference.
“A number of locations were considered for the new office but Hastings provided the best fit with the bank’s requirements,” says Kiwibank Chief Executive Paul Brock.
Kiwibank Communications Manager Bruce Thompson says Hastings, and the wider
Kiwibank - they say - is the bank New Zealanders can call their own. After 13 years growing a great name for itself in the banking industry, it has reached another milestone with the opening of a new office in Hastings.
NEW KIWIBANK MILESTONE… AND IT’S IN HASTINGS
It’s the type of success that’s been lacking for a while but proves that great things happen in Hawke’s Bay.Ask Terry May, shareholder in HBM Ventures which owns the Hastings building now occupied by Kiwibank and the man who has project managed the multimillion dollar redevelopment. “I believe it’s already having a positive effect on the Hastings city and there’ll be a flow-on effect on the back of the Kiwibank relocation – it’ll stimulate other business activity.”
PAUL BROCK, KIWIBANK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Hawke’s Bay region, is a distinctly different territory to Wellington and Auckland. In making our decision, we were confident that the area would provide us with good local resources, as well as being an attractive place for our staff who were looking to relocate.
By the end of this year, Kiwibank will have up to 140 people working in the new regional office, with potential for future expansion. Mr Thompson says the bank received more than 3,000 applications for the operational positions and 1,500 for the customer contact centre roles.
“People are Kiwibank’s greatest asset. We like to keep them engaged and happy, to provide an upbeat and fun work
Previously the Farmers department store, Terry says the major restructuring to convert the building to meet Kiwibank’s specific requirements has probably cost around $2.5 million but he says Kiwibank is a fantastic tenant.
“We’ve certainly got the capacity, ability and experience to develop a project of this type and even bigger ones,” says Terry.
Terry May, Property Developer, HBM Ventures
DOING THE DEAL
environment. The Hawke’s Bay staff will be on the same pay scales as our other staff throughout New Zealand,” he says.
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KIWIBANK
Three of Kiwibank’s key team leaders jumped at the opportunity to relocate from Wellington when the bank set up a contact and banking centre in Hastings.
Motivating factors were the lure of Hawke’s Bay’s good weather and lifestyle, along with the chance to be part of something new. A fourth member, Training Specialist Amy Hazlitt, had already been enticed to Hawke’s Bay from Wellington and rejoined Kiwibank.
They are united in their praise for the city. More importantly, they jointly compliment their new Kiwibank recruits for their work ethic.
“They are grateful and thankful for a job and they really want to work, it makes for an amazing working environment,” says Amy.
“They have a good level of life experience which makes it easier for them to have empathy with customers. That’s a huge plus. It blew me away how appreciative they are working at Kiwibank. They’re a great bunch,” says Richard Wiley, one of two team leaders in the Contact Centre, which has 45 staff.
Natalie Hurley, Team Leader, Maintenance, with a team of 10 staff who maintain banking data, customer information and
KIWIBANK STAFF LOVING THE CITYThe proof, they say, is in the pudding. The Hastings Kiwibank team is definitely proof that the Hastings city is ideal for commercial business.
LYNETTE O’RILEY AND AMY HAZLITT
• Many are mums returning to work
• Some had followed a partner to Hawke’s Bay and were looking for work
• Some who relocated from Wellington did so because this was their hometown
• They take pride in what they do and have a great customer service culture
• The quality of candidates was high. The tight job market meant Kiwibank could be selective
• They are not typical part-timers. Their jobs are important to them so there is going to be a much lower churn rate. They’re loyal.
RICHARD SPEAKS HIGHLY OF HIS NEW CONTACT CENTRE TEAM:
various other banking operational tasks, was looking to build a team of people who could get on and work well with others and have a pleasant, positive personality. She found no problem recruiting great employees to supplement the experience of those who relocated from Wellington.
These Kiwibank employees had different personal reasons for relocating to Hawke’s Bay but a common thread was the quest for an improved lifestyle.
Lynette has been heading up contact centres for nine years, eight of them for Kiwibank. In Wellington, she was used to working with up to 300 staff around her.
“I was keen on the opportunity to relocate and set up a new team. But it was a big move and the decision wasn’t taken lightly. It is a great opportunity to build something new from scratch but it was also the weather. It’s the closest you can get to Australia’s Gold Coast and the golden sands of the beaches. And it’s warm when you go outside at lunchtime.”
Natalie was working in Niue, on secondment from Kiwibank, when she heard Kiwibank was setting up in Hastings. She immediately put up her hand.
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KIWIBANK
IMS has been developing and delivering payroll systems to New Zealand businesses, with staff numbers ranging from 1 to 3,000, for more than 30 years. The company is based in Hastings, has offices around New Zealand and trades internationally.
Managing Director, Kevin Atkinson, is also the Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, Chairman of electricity and fibre company Unison and a director of Hawke’s Bay Rugby. He was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2010.
“Staff are attracted to the benefits of living in Hawke’s Bay. Working in the heart of Hastings’ city also has many advantages for staff. It’s just a few minutes walk to shops, service businesses and vibrant cafes to catch up with friends,” says Kevin. Many of
his staff have been with the company since its early years, reflecting the stability and loyalty of the workforce.
The IMS building in Queen Street was constructed six months before the 1931 earthquake and survived intact. The timeless character of the building retains many of its original features and is a city landmark.
When the company started business in 1983, it provided services to The Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Meat Company. Rapid expansion followed and staff numbers grew from eight to 60. By the late 1980s and into the 1990s, IMS was the third largest software developer in New Zealand. Projects with Unisys, NZ Rail, Police, IRD, Department of Social Welfare and Housing Corporation, all located in Wellington, meant a lot of weekly travel for staff.
“After a very successful period, a decision was made to retrench from large scale project work and to start selling personal computers (PCs) for business applications. This part of the business was later sold,” says Kevin.
IMS then began developing the next generation of payroll systems for the Windows PC and for Apple computers.
“Maintaining our current payroll application now involves an annual investment of more than $200,000 in enhancements.”
IMS (Information Management Services Ltd) pioneered PC-based payroll solutions in New Zealand and it continues to lead the way. The number of clients using its products has grown from 500 to 10,000 in the past 15 years.
PIONEERING HASTINGS COMPANY
A SOFTWARE SUCCESS
“THE COMPANY HAS MORE THAN 10,000 CLIENTS LOCATED IN NEW ZEALAND, FIJI, SAMOA, COOK ISLANDS AND TONGA. IT CONTINUES TO ADAPT AND CHANGE TO MEET MARKET NEEDS, WITH BOTH CLOUD-BASED AND PC APPLICATIONS.”KEVIN ATKINSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR, IMS
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INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD
Suzelle Lingerie started life in 1930 and was called Miss Timms. It underwent a few changes before Coralie bought the business in 1990. Since then, sales have grown from $300,000 to $1 million annually. She has three Hawke’s Bay stores and an online shop.
Coralie has created an award-winning business which provides a traditional approach to personalised lingerie and swimwear fittings. It is also a preferred fitter of breast-form for women who have had a mastectomy.
“Our business slogan is ‘Look good, feel great’ and we deliver this through the personal service and styling that clients
Coralie White knows retailing. Her business has been an icon of Hastings city retailing for more than 80 years.
LOOKING GOOD, FEELING GREAT IN HASTINGS
receive. This vision is shared by staff in all three stores, with a warm, personal greeting,” says Coralie.
“We emphasise customer service, which is matched by fitting rooms that are private and luxurious and create a spacious, calming atmosphere,” she says.
The proof of the winning Hawke’s Bay formula is evidence, with customers travelling from as far away as Wellington to shop at Suzelle Lingerie.
“Sales for the Hastings city store continue to lead the other outlets. Customers in the Hastings city are here to shop and purchase retail services.
“WE ARE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED IN A LARGE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND ARE CONSTANTLY SEARCHING FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY”. CORALIE WHITE, SUZELLE LINGERIE
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SUZELLE LINGERIE
Matt and Julie Bell can take some credit for adding to the revitalisation of the Hastings city. They took on the lease of the Hastings Cinema in the 1933 State Theatre building in 2012 and traded “as is” for more than a year.
Then, with considerable input from the Bell’s Focal Point company, the building owners and head contractor Gemco Construction, the cinema was refurbished and upgraded. The complex now has some of the most modern cinema technology in the country.
Great cooperation between building owners, business operations and a construction company has given a Hastings cinema new-found glory.
FOCAL POINT IN THE CITY
“THERE IS GREAT SATISFACTION FOR US AND OUR STAFF WHEN PROUD HASTINGS RESIDENTS BRING VISITORS TO FOCAL POINT TO SHOW THEM THE CAFÉ AND CINEMAS THAT WE HAVE CREATED FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE” JULIE AND MATT BELL, FOCAL POINT
The renovated Focal Point Cinema & Café opened in 2014. The cinema has three theatres, all with comfortable spacious seating. The modern technology includes:
• A 12 metre wide screen, the largest in Hawke’s Bay
• Every seat fitted with infra-sonic speakers to provide the ultimate “See it, Hear it, Feel it” cinema experience
• Ability to screen at High Frame Rate of 48 frames per second
• Quality surround sound audio systems
• Fully licensed café within the building
• Good in–cinema disabled access and wheel-chair seat positions.
Focal Point Cinema & Café’s aim is to offer customers a great dining and cinema experience in comfortable surroundings, serving great coffee, tasty cabinet food and restaurant standard menu meals.
“There is definite enthusiasm to improve the Hastings city and there is cooperation among several organisations in Hastings including Hastings District Council, the Police and the Hastings Business Association, which in turn provides a level of confidence for the future of conducting business in the Hastings city,” say the Bells.
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FOCAL POINT
For more than three decades, Best Travel has been nestled in the heart of the Hastings city providing award-winning service to leisure and corporate travellers.
The business is well known through its community networks such as the Chamber of Commerce, business and social organisations and its sponsorships of local sports and community associations.
“Giving back to the community is a way of thanking local people for supporting Best Travel for the past 39 years and into the future,” says the company.
Best Travel is truly a local portal to worldwide destinations. Businessman Garth Best started the company in Market Street, Hastings, in 1976. Ten years later, Bill and Christine Sheppard shifted from Wellington to Hawke’s Bay and joined Best Travel. With experienced operators on board, Garth was able to step back from day-to-day operations and let Bill put his travel expertise and foresight to good use. He introduced computerisation and set up a corporate travel division, which currently accounts for approximately 50 percent of the company’s core business.
Hastings has proved a great base for business. Bill and Christine took over full ownership of Best Travel and the original owner’s son, Frazer, later joined the company and is now a significant shareholder and executive director.
The team at Best Travel now offers more than 250 years of combined experience in the travel industry. Bill and Christine are seasoned travellers, finding it easy to fly from Hawke’s Bay to connect with flights around the world.
“We’re able to uniquely craft travel plans to suit individual client’s needs. As travel designers, we make travel arrangements, using options from our vast database of suppliers. An example is the commercial traveller who travels to 12 countries in 15 days. Being part of the World Travellers group, Best Travel can access the travel hub intranet where over 80 consultants share their intellectual property with each other.
“Some of our clients have been booking travel with us for 39 years. Now their children and grand-children travel with us. We also have ex-pats living in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world who retain our services.
GREAT HISTORY BEHIND TRAVEL BUSINESS
“WE AIM TO RETAIN CUSTOMERS THROUGH SERVICE, WE WANT CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE,” SAY THE COMPANY OWNERS.” BILL AND CHRISTINE SHEPPARD, BEST TRAVEL
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BEST TRAVEL
Henry Ford warned that if you always did what you’d always done, you’d always get what you’ve always got. But that was never going to be the case with Diarmuid and Belinda Ruddle who set up Eastek, in Hastings, in 1994.
The company has built a stronghold in the commercial security sector in Hawke’s Bay but new technology and the installation of fast fibre infrastructure are helping to develop and grow the business.
Security guards and roaming patrols are long gone. Eastek secures a range of locations, including those where the risks of export and other produce being contaminated, destroyed, tampered with or stolen need to be mitigated.
Hastings-based Eastek secures locations that are of strategic importance to Hawke’s Bay’s economy. Using its knowledge of remote security monitoring, it is extending its reach throughout New Zealand.
EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY SECURES GROWTH
Fibre technology allows security monitoring to be centralised. Eastek has built a security operations centre (S.O.C.) and is growing a team of people with relevant privacy and security authorisation, all highly trained to conduct virtual patrols.
“The patrols are more regular, more often and there is greater recording and monitoring, providing a whole new level of securing locations,” says Diarmuid. Monitoring for health and safety compliance is opening new doors for Eastek, adding to its traditional security monitoring services.
Major changes in New Zealand’s health and safety laws bring greater responsibilities for all players in the workplace, and Eastek’s new security operations centre and
expertise in remote monitoring will help companies mitigate risk.
Security cameras can be trained on business processes and provide a real-time view of exactly what’s happening in the workplace to ensure safety processes are being followed. Immediate, preventative action can be taken rather than waiting until something goes terribly wrong.
“Technology allows us to monitor and manage security on a site in Christchurch, Melbourne or Sydney just as easily as a site in Hastings. We can create jobs in Hawke’s Bay because it’s a great environment to hire people. There’s a very low churn rate because people want to stay living here in Hawke’s Bay,” says Diarmuid. Eastek currently has a team of 15 but that number is rapidly on the rise following the company’s expansion.
Diarmuid describes the new operation as a high tech call centre. Staff have to understand the technology and the software to get the best advantages from remote site monitoring.
“WE CAN CREATE JOBS IN HAWKE’S BAY BECAUSE IT’S A GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO HIRE PEOPLE. THERE’S A VERY LOW CHURN RATE BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO STAY LIVING HERE IN HAWKE’S BAY,” DIARMUID RUDDLE, EASTEK
“We could have opened in a bigger city but that would mean higher rent, higher salaries and higher churn. So we can work for Auckland companies from Hawke’s Bay, which offers a lower cost environment and our staff can enjoy a better lifestyle.”
Eastek is also significantly reducing some of the investment risk for companies who find their security hardware is quickly superseded by new technology. Using Eastek security services, companies no longer have to invest in large security installations.
“We’re helping organisations deal with problems, such as health and safety issues, mitigate risks and also helping businesses move at pace as technology evolves,” says Diarmuid.
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EASTEK
But along came Freddy and life changed, as it does when a baby joins the party. All the trappings of Melbourne, including the Australian higher wages, superannuation scheme, employee fringe benefits and bigger cities, didn’t seem quite as enticing, and invitations from friends without children slowly disappeared.
The couple had sold everything they owned, packed a suitcase and crossed the Tasman years earlier to follow friends who were having the time of their lives there.
“In four years we paid off our student loans, all debts and had enough money to buy a
New Zealanders Anton Hakkaart and Helen Howard thought they had it all in Melbourne - great, high paying jobs, busy social life on the café, bar and restaurant circuit with lots of friends and their own home.
FAST TRACK FROM MELBOURNE TO HASTINGS
“THE QUALITY OF LIFE, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, AFFORDABILITY AND FREE TIME TO SPEND AT HOME – THAT’S INVALUABLE.”ANTON HAKKAART, NEW CONVERT TO HASTINGS
house. It was great but then the honeymoon of the high life was over when we had a baby,” says Anton. They began to see the flaws. Driving one hour to make the 12 kilometre trip home from work each night, which limited time with Freddy, and having no family support resulted in their decision to return to New Zealand.
“But if we were going to move, we wanted to pick a place that was right. The options included living in a metropolitan area where we could both easily get new jobs or we could find a beautiful place to live but where it might be harder to find work.”
They had studied and worked in Wellington but found the weather “grim” and the pricey property market ruled out Auckland. Their checklist required good climate, nowhere remote, good facilities, good schools and good transport, with Hawke’s Bay rapidly becoming the favourite. Anton and Helen had visited the region for Art Deco Weekend and for friends’ weddings and they liked the wineries, bike trails and nice restaurants.
They packed up their house and worldly possessions and arrived with no home, no jobs, a baby and a Melbourne mortgage. Within three days of landing, Anton had a job offer in Hastings and he now works as a business manager with Kiwibank. Helen, with financial administration skills, applied and was quickly accepted for her Hastings job.
“It’s just a gorgeous place – the coast, the bay, the beaches, Te Mata Peak, cycle trails, wine trails – it is prettier than we thought. We can buy fruit and vegetables fresh from the farmgate and that’s a luxury.
“Friends want to come and visit and my mum, who lives and works in Wellington, wants to shift here,” says Anton.
“I love the city. People seem to know each other. It is more of a community than a city and it’s a really pleasant place to be, people want to talk to you and to know about you – and it takes me just 12 minutes to drive to work.
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ANTON HAKKAART
GREAT FOOD Restaurants and cafes clustered in the heart of Hastings city serving produce bought direct from local growers.
GREAT WINEWe’re home to so many award-winners you need to try these for yourself.
FARMERS MARKETSHastings has a delightful city-central Thursday night market and an equally colourful Growers’ Market on Saturday mornings. A large regional Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market, one of New Zealand’s oldest and biggest, is held every Sunday morning at the A & P Showgrounds.
ARCHITECTUREMagnificent buildings designed by world-famous architects sit happily alongside modern properties.
EVENTSBelieve it! Hastings people know how to party. There’s the Horse of the Year show, horse racing carnivals and the springtime Blossom Festival, along with numerous food and wine celebrations all year round.
Happy, cruisy days of delight make for a great lifestyle. Great for your health, great for families and great for whatever you like doing when the work day is done.
The steady, warm climate helps make Hastings, and the whole Hawke’s Bay region, a fun place to be at any time of the year. Think about the options:
GREAT LIFESTYLE GROWS ON YOU
PARKING & TRANSPORT
$5,000+Annually
BIG CITY RELOCATION TO THE PROVINCE
SAVINGS
GREAT EDUCATION
OPTIONS
PRICELESS
COMMUTING 8+ HOURS A WEEK
PRICELESS
EXECUTIVE HOUSING
$400,000+
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PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY
AND HELPFUL
PRICELESS
EASY CONNECTIVITY TO NEW ZEALAND AND THE WORLD
PRICELESS
ALL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY
SUPPORT SERVICES
PRICELESS
FULL RANGE OF SPORT, ACTIVITY, OUTDOOR LIVING
PRICELESS
ARTHastings is home to the highly regarded Hastings City Art Gallery, as well as many other artists, such as acclaimed designer David Truebridge.
CYCLEMagnificent, safe cycle trails constructed away from traffic take you around the city and link to Napier, wineries and rural surrounds.
FOR THE CHILDRENSplash Planet is a water-themed park virtually in the heart of Hastings City where kids of all ages are entertained for hours.
CIVIC SQUAREWalk in Hastings; central city park among Pou, carved poles representing Maori tipuna (ancestors) from 18 marae of the Ngati Kahungunu iwi.
ACTIONWithin less than half an hour you can be swimming, surfing, fishing or boating at great beaches or rivers, teeing off at one of at least 20 golf courses or taking part in one of our many sporting challenges such as the Triple Peak Challenge or the IronMaori triathlon.
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LIFESTYLE
Hastings and its nearby suburban village of Havelock North provide some of the best schools in New Zealand.
Highly regarded integrated schools in Havelock North include Iona College and Woodford House. Both cater for girls in years 7 - 13. Hereworth School, a private school that specialises in education for primary and intermediate aged boys, is also in Havelock North. Lindisfarne College, in Hastings, caters for boys in years 7 - 13.
Government funded secondary schools include Hastings Boys’ High, Hastings’ Girls High, Flaxmere College, Karamu High, St John’s College and Havelock North High. Student numbers at each school range from between 300 to 1,000 pupils.
There is also a variety of excellent learning centres for preschoolers, primary and intermediate choices.
Tertiary education is provided by EIT, (Eastern Institute of Technology) offering programmes from certificate to Masters’ degree level. The student-lecturer ratio is significantly lower than at big-city universities, allowing a more personal approach and easier access to lecturers. There is an added enticement for local school leavers – EIT offers a fee-free, first year of degree study to qualifying students.
Parents want the best for their children, and an excellent education is perhaps the best gift of all.
WORLD CLASS EDUCATION
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GREAT TEAM AT YOUR SERVICE
We appreciate the challenges of expanding or relocating your business to our city so we’ve put together a team of smart people to make it easier, more efficient and to simplify the process.
The team provides a wrap-around service - entirely complementary because we like growing great things in this region – coordinating advice and support on all the required planning and resource consent procedures, investment and growth opportunities and the strategic planning going on around the region.
The Hastings District Council has plenty of essential data on key considerations such
as property availability, services, facilities, pricing, workforce skills, resources, lifestyle and education. And what we don’t know, and can’t find out from somewhere else within the council, we have the necessary contacts and networks to make sure you get the answers you need.
Our Key Account Manager within the team helps streamline the process and ensure the channels of communication are working well. We can’t say there won’t be a few niggles or issues along the way but we are focused on finding solutions because we want your business.
There may be a financial incentive available for significant new developments that create sustained economic growth and new jobs in specific sectors. Talk to our team before you get started.
• Fast, efficient, focused on solving your problems
• A team dedicated to you, with the knowledge and back up across the council
• Honest communication
• An attitude fired up by the drive for active economic development
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HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL SUPPORT
SUSAN MCDADEGENERAL MANAGER HASTINGS CITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION INC
MOBILE: +64 (0) 27 488 0630 EMAIL: [email protected]
CRAIG CAMERONECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL
MOBILE: +64 (0) 27 602 4213 EMAIL: [email protected]
LEE NEVILLEECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS MANAGER HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL
MOBILE: +64 (0) 27 801 1601 EMAIL: [email protected]
CONTACTS
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HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL
207 Lyndon Road East Hastings 4122 Private Bag 9002 Hastings 4156
Phone +64 6 871 5000 Fax +64 6 871 5100
hastingsdc.govt.nz [email protected]
TE KAUNIHERA O HERETAUNGA