Work is finally beginning on the Fairfield Freight Hub, which is back on track following consenting delays.
KiwiRail is on site upgrading the existing siding, and Wareings Group director Mark Wareing said construction of the freight hub would start “as soon as possible”.
“We are just finalising the last bits of paperwork and as soon as that is done the contractors will be on site.”
Once completed the shunting yards in central Ashburton will shift north to the freight hub, and it will increase the number of containers moved on rail, which is estimated will reduce around 40,000 truck movements per year.
In November Wareing hoped to start construction by February for completion by the end of the year, but delays in processing consents have now pushed back the timeline.
Environment Canterbury is battling a backlog caused by staffing challenges and the increasing complexity of applications.
That delay has cost the freight hub three months of progress but construction was now imminent, Wareing said.
The hub is being constructed on the Talley’s-owned site of the former Fairton freezing works.
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.
Wareing heaped praise on Rangitata MP Jo Luxton, who stepped in after it was initially turned down.
Getting the project the go-ahead was one of her proudest achievements from the past term, Luxton said.
“I thought ‘No, actually there’s gotta be something here we can do’ so I went back and really pushed the argument and then got the minister on a Zoom with Mark and the council, and I think it was Greg [Miller] that was with KiwiRail at the time, and we got it across the line,” Luxton said.
“That will get lots of trucks and things off the road.
"That’s something I’m really pleased to have been involved with.”

• By Jonathan Leask