Tauriko Business Estate: Bay of Plenty kiwifruit growth drives 182-bed RSE housing proposal
An aerial view of Tauriko Business Estate, looking north east up Taurikura Drive. Photo / Supplied
The Bay of Plenty’s growing kiwifruit industry has spurred a proposal for a seasonal worker housing complex in the Tauriko Business Estate.
The proposal for a 182-bed seasonal worker accommodation facility on Kaweroa Dr has been submitted to Tauranga City Council by EI Properties.
The proposed facility would house workers from a nearby post-harvest facility.
That facility is not identified in the resource consent application. A spokesperson for the facility asked that it not be named and declined to comment.
The proposal was for 29 accommodation units and five kitchen blocks for up to 182 Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers.
It also included an additional accommodation unit for two on-site managers.
Each accommodation unit could house seven people. Laundry facilities and dining areas were included.
The RSE scheme allows horticulture or viticulture businesses to hire workers from eligible Pacific countries if certain criteria are met.
Tauriko Business Estate director Bryce Donne said the land was earmarked to be used for future SH29 upgrades, but could be used in the meantime for the accommodation complex.
Donne is the director of EI Properties, a majority landowner within the business estate.
Tauranga City Council head of environmental planning Alex Miller said the resource consent application was submitted on March 10.
He said this was the only application for this accommodation type the council was processing.
“The resource consent process will consider a range of factors under the Resource Management Act and City Plan.”
He said the council was not aware of another facility for RSE workers within an industrial zone.
Asked whether this was an appropriate use of industrial land, Miller said the resource consent process would determine whether the proposal was appropriate under the City Plan provisions.
The units would feature double-glazed windows to provide internal noise protection for residents. It would also have a 2m-high visual mitigation bund to reduce visibility of surrounding buildings.
The proposed layout included a communal lawn space and recreation areas.
The application said the maximum occupancy was expected from March to October.
Workers would be based at a nearby post-harvest facility within the Tauriko Business Estate.
Vans and buses would transport workers between the accommodation and the post-harvest facility.
The post-harvest facility operated two rotating shifts: 7am to 6.30pm, and 7pm to 6.30am, on a six-days-on, two-days-off rolling roster.
Transport would also be available for activities outside work hours, and for occasional travel to Katikati or Paengaroa orchards.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive Colin Bond said there was a growing need for suitable seasonal worker accommodation.
“We’re supportive of new builds that meet industry standards and the demands of a growing industry.”
He said nearly 80% of New Zealand’s kiwifruit orchards were in the Bay of Plenty.
“As demand for kiwifruit continues to grow, production is forecast to increase by 9% by 2030.
“Despite increased automation within the industry, both our permanent and seasonal workforces are expanding to support this growth in production.”
Bond said RSE employees made up a “small but crucial proportion” of the horticulture workforce.
“Although New Zealanders are the kiwifruit industry’s first priority when it comes to picking and packing kiwifruit, it is not always possible to fill all available positions.”
He said industrial zones were a sensible location for seasonal worker accommodation because packhouses were located there.
Bond said there was insufficient accommodation available before Covid-19.
“While the industry’s automation journey has provided some relief, ongoing growth means this will become a problem again unless new accommodation is built.”
Donne said recent sales and leasing interest at the Tauriko estate had been from a range of industries.
He said a high percentage were logistics, transport, warehousing, and support industries to the Port of Tauranga.
“RSE accommodation is an important function, and struggles to find a natural home in any zone in the Tauranga City Plan.”
Donne said the accommodation site was destined to be used for future SH29 upgrades in the five-year to 10-year timeframe.
“We have worked with NZTA to find a means to utilise the land on an interim basis without constructing expensive permanent improvements, which would unnecessarily increase the property costs of the future SH29 project.”
Another RSE accommodation facility had been approved in Pongakawa.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council building services manager Nigel Mogford said building consent was recently granted for a 48-person facility on the corner of SH2 and Maniatutu Rd.
This was the only building consent application for RSE accommodation in the Western Bay of Plenty District in the past 12 months.
Number of RSE workers in the Bay of Plenty broken down by nationality for the year 2025/26
Fiji: 313
Indonesia: 108
Kiribati: 227
Malaysia: 282
Papua New Guinea: 106
Samoa: 324
Solomon Islands: 207
Thailand: 40
Tonga: 185
Tuvalu: 23
Vanuatu: 1409
Source: New Zealand Immigration
Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.