KiwiRail regional freight hub

The land to construct and operate the freight hub was designated in June 2023.

Photo shows huge concrete area with tracks, trains, trucks and sheds, surrounded by green space and trees.

KiwiRail is proposing to develop a new intermodal rail and freight hub near Bunnythorpe.

In April 2021 KiwiRail lodged a Notice of Requirement to designate land for constructing and operating the freight hub.

Submissions were invited and the public hearing, overseen by independent commissioners, finished on October 15, 2021.

The designation became operative on 13 June 2023. Read more in the following parts of the District Plan:

Section 24: Designations(PDF, 4MB)

Volume 2 Section D: KiwiRail freight hub designation conditions(PDF, 554KB)

KiwiRail's decision on Council's recommendation

We received KiwiRail's decision on 11 April 2022 and notified all submitters, directly affected parties, landowners and occupiers.

Four appeals were lodged with the Environment Court.

Kiwirail Freight Hub Decision 11 April 2022(PDF, 893KB)

Commissioners' recommendation

Commissioners' report on KiwiRail's Notice of Requirement for freight hub, 28 Feb 2022 [pages 1 to 343](PDF, 16MB)

Commissioners' report on KiwiRail's Notice of Requirement for freight hub, 28 Feb 2022 [pages 344 to 374](PDF, 8MB)

Commissioners' report on KiwiRail's Notice of Requirement for freight hub, 28 Feb 2022 [pages 375 to 394](PDF, 4MB)

Commissioners' report on KiwiRail's Notice of Requirement for freight hub, 28 Feb 2022 [pages 395 to end](PDF, 11MB)

Project info

If you have any questions about the project, please email the KiwiRail project team at regionalgrowthhub@kiwirail.co.nz.

If you have any questions about the process to designate the land, please contact Keegan Aplin-Thane, Principal Planner at Keegan.Aplin-Thane@pncc.govt.nz