$3.7m vineyard purchase for council stormwater project

Progress continues to be made on stormwater upgrades for Richmond South with a recent $3.74 million purchase of vineyard land.

Tasman District Council has embarked on an extensive programme of upgrading stormwater channels in anticipation of further subdivisions increasing runoff.

Exemplified by Borck Creek through the Meadows development, the channels will be wide and naturalised and built to accommodate a 1-in-a-100-year event.

Acquiring the 10-hectare property, previously owned by Booster Wine Group as part of its Waimea Winery, on the Appleby Highway will now help the council achieve its goals in continuing to expand the channels.

Rob O’Grady, the council’s team leader project managers, says that only a “tiny corner” of the purchased land will be needed for the stormwater project.

“But what it's enabled us to do is to get the land that we need next door – we’ve got a swap arrangement.”

That land swap, with Booster Wine Group, will occur next year and will leave the council with several empty buildings that will be used as a depot for construction.

Though the channel won’t be built for around five years, the council will soon begin work on a bridge along the Appleby Highway to widen the culvert for the creek.

“Grapes will only be removed when necessary,” Rob assures.

The council’s current priority for the next 10 years is working on upgrading the channels in the Reed-Andrews Catchment to cater to subdivisions in Richmond South.

But being such a “huge” job, a lot of work remains and there are many ongoing negotiations with other landowners in the area.

Stephen Hensley is one of those property owners currently in discussions with the council.

“It is rolling on, but to me, it's at a snail's pace,” he says.

Stephen’s property currently lies within the path of the planned channel and he has said in the past he was in limbo awaiting a final decision.

Former plans saw the channel include his house, but the current proposal would only take several metres on his boundary and leave his house intact.

“This new design is probably best for me,” he says.

“You can't fight progress. They've got to get rid of the water from up the hill there, and I don't want to have a fight with the council. I've said I'll try and work as best I can with them.”

However, Stephen remains frustrated about the prolonged process, saying plans to develop his property have been on hold for the past three years, and probably will be for another five, while plans are finalised and completed.

“My biggest concern is they [council] keep changing the goal posts.”

Rob says the council’s preference is to do willing buyer-willing seller negotiations, but that it must also seek value for money and its “last resort” would be compulsory acquisition.

“Each individual negotiation has its own trajectory. Some are obviously more resistant, and others are more willing to help. So far, it's all gone alright,” he says.

“This Waimea Estates acquisition… shows that we can get a win-win when there's an opportunity.”

Louis Vavasour, Booster Wine Group CEO, said the land’s proximity to Richmond’s planned urban growth areas was a long-term risk that made it difficult to justify further investment in the property.

“The decision to sell... was strategic to ensure long term sustainable growth.”

The sale is an opportunity for the group to consolidate within other regional wineries, with Waimea Estates grapes now to be processed between their Gravity and Awatere River Wineries. in Mahana and Marlborough respectively.

Louis says that Waimea Estates remains a “key brand” for the group.

“We are committed to the Nelson region and see this as a strategic part of our wine portfolio nationally.”