The case for a harbour at Ōpoōtiki
We developed the detailed business case for construction of a harbour to support the aquaculture sector in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
The Eastern Bay of Plenty is one of the most economically deprived regions in the country, and has the opportunity to transform itself with the development of the offshore aquaculture industry.
To be able to expand and grow, the sector requires a safe all-weather harbour close to the productive offshore waters – and the mouth of the Waioeka River at Ōpōtiki was identified as the preferred location. This required the development of the first all-new harbour constructed in Aotearoa New Zealand in nearly a century.
In turn, the harbour enables the development and growth of the onshore aquaculture processing plants and support businesses, adding hundreds of permanent and seasonal jobs to the District. And ensuring the $100m investment in the harbour infrastructure will deliver on the goals of the town, the region and the country was the job of the detailed business case.
We worked with regional and iwi leaders, the Ōpōtiki District Council team, central government officials and a range of specialists such as harbour engineers to conduct a full options assessment of the proposed harbour, and develop a case for change.
Alongside the business case itself, we worked with one of the country's leading economists on the local, regional and national benefits that could be realised from the harbour development. The resulting return on investment analysis sat at the heart of the business case, and demonstrated that the project is a good investment for both the private sector and the public sector.
The business case was complex and its development spanned multiple governments, before being approved as a priority regional development project.
We built the evidence base for a project of national significance.
We developed a robust, evidence-based business case to demonstrate the strategic, economic and regional value of the proposed Ōpōtiki Harbour development.
We worked alongside Ōpōtiki District Council, iwi and regional leaders, central government agencies, technical specialists and industry stakeholders to understand the opportunity, test assumptions and build a shared view of the harbour’s future role in enabling aquaculture growth.
We undertook a comprehensive assessment of options, considering the technical, economic and strategic implications of different approaches to deliver a safe, all-weather harbour. This included working with economic specialists to assess the local, regional and national benefits of the investment, with return-on-investment analysis providing a critical foundation for the business case.
The final business case brought together the strategic case, economic analysis and implementation pathway needed to support decision-making and secure investment for one of New Zealand’s most significant regional development projects.
The business case for the Ōpōtiki harbour development was approved by Cabinet in early 2020, with construction of the project commencing shortly afterwards.
In September 2004 the new harbour was officially opened, and aquaculture vessels began using the facilities a few months later.
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