Freight hub making good progress
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The $18m Fairfield Freight Hub is making steady progress towards being ready earlier than expected.
Wareing Group director Mark Wareing says that after five months of construction, things are tracking ahead of schedule thanks to a dry winter.
The completion date was October next year when construction began, based on the timing of doing the surface sealing after winter, he said.
“At this stage, we are on track to get that done before winter — so maybe April.”
That could mean the shunting yards could shift out of the centre of town early next year and out to the freight hub.
That was a pleasing progress report for the Ashburton District councillors and Rangitata MP Jo Luxton who were visiting the site.
The new rail siding, replacing and extending the old siding of the former Fairton freezing works, is nearing completion.
The only delay could be the installation of the new signals by KiwiRail, Wareing said.
Then the focus goes on preparing the 35,000sqm site for pavement sealing, which includes 1058m of kerb and channel around the outside.
The pavement is in two halves, truck only and container storage.
Contractors Fulton Hogan and Tarbotton Civil are working towards getting the truck-only side completed by the end of December.
The other half will then follow in the new year, followed by the construction of a storage shed and reefer towers.
“A reefer tower has power in it that you can keep a chilled or frozen container going.”
The hub will have the capacity for 120 containers to be kept chilled once all four reefer towers are completed.
Once operational the hub will process about 20,000 containers per year and moving the containers on rail will see a reduction of about 40,000 truck movements per year, Wareing said.
The installation of the Waka Kotahi’s weigh stations north of Rakaia could also be a boost for the hub Wareing said, with more operators looking to utilise rail.
The project is a tri-party commercial development led by the Wareing Group (which wholly owns Fairfield Freight Hub Ltd) with KiwiRail and the Ashburton District Council.
The council is contributing $2.3m to help fund the relocation of the rail yard from the town centre to the purpose-built facility at Fairton, which will be covered by funding from the Three Waters Reform Better Off Funding support package.
The Government is also chipping in with $2.5m from Waka Kotahi’s NZ Upgrade Programme.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Poll: Pedestrian access is being extended to the Ōtakaro Avon River - good idea?
Pedestrian access from one of Christchurch’s favourite streets is being extended all the way to the Ōtakaro Avon River. This new 12m-wide pathway will give you a direct, easy route from the street to the river promenade ... perfect for a stroll, a coffee run, or just soaking up the riverside vibes.
We want to know: In your view, what makes a city people-friendly?
What else should our urban areas be doing to support better community connections?
Curious about the full plans? You can check them out here.
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93.3% Yes
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6.7% No
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