24 March 2022
Carterton District Council has made a significant step forward towards the construction of its new animal facility by beginning work at the Dalefield Road site this month.
The existing animal facility is no longer fit for purpose and does not meet the current legislative requirements. In 2018, the Council undertook an animal facility location study to establish the optimal location for an upgraded animal facility in Carterton. The budget for the new facility is $350k and was approved during the 2019/20 Annual Plan process. This has since been increased to $370k to accommodate for increasing construction costs. There is an extensive history of attempting to provide a shared Wairarapa service, however, a consensus has not been reached due differing operational requirements and budgetary expectations.
Council officers have now progressed a potential design and specification for its site at Dalefield Road. Work has begun onsite, with the topsoil being stripped and a hard standing laid down to allow a suitable working space during the winter months. Services have already been installed, such as water, sewerage, electricity, and security. This means these services are ready to be hooked up once the building has been constructed.
Mayor Greg Lang said he was pleased this long-awaited project was now moving forward.
“We have no choice but to upgrade our existing facility as it is no longer fit for purpose,” Mayor Lang said.
“Council staff have worked hard for many years to get to this stage, and this is a positive step forward towards completing this project.”
The design for the structure has been completed for some time, with project managers working for a number of months on its structural clarifications. The council is now awaiting sign off from a structural engineer on the final design before applying for the appropriate consents.