This project includes the modernisation, extension and seismic strengthening of the existing library building to create a Community Hub facility. Physical works began in September 2022 and will be completed mid-2024.

The project will result in a refreshed library/ community hub that will deliver information and library services in a multi-use venue, a range of existing and new community programmes and services, and a community social space.

To keep updated on this project click here.

The area along Root Street East between Churcher Street and Pharazyn Street is under development for residential growth. Council has purchased land to be used as a neighbourhood park to allow for active recreation space. Work on this park, including the installation of walkways, planting, and fencing, will begin in 2023/24.

To find out more about the wider residential growth project, click here.

Council will undertake the planned maintenance and renewals for those community halls classified as ‘high-profile’ in the Community Facilities Strategy. Council will also use the divestment process outlined in the Community Facilities Strategy to make decisions about the disposal of underused or deteriorating halls.

Council will improve and expand our walkway and cycleway networks, including those in the area designated for residential growth between Churcher Street and Pharazyn Street (Growth Precinct 4), and from James Palmer Park to Rimu Park in Feilding.

Council is returning Kōwhai Park to premier park status. This project will include a number of improvements detailed in the Kōwhai Park Reserve Management Plan. For 2023/24, work will include the enhancement of the bush area and walking tracks and sports areas.

Council plans to undertake detailed design work for the extension area, and physical works to re-contour the new land and install required infrastructure to enable use as a cemetery for future provision.

Council is constructing ponds to manage stormwater run-off from new residential development in Precinct 4. Council will construct stormwater detention ponds and enhance the surrounding area, so it is able to be enjoyed by the community for recreation. It is hoped that the recreation area created will facilitate community access to the Makino Stream and provide an active recreation space for all. This project will also include the installation of one stage of the wider walkway connection planned from North Street to Reids Line.

The developing area to the north of Feilding is known as Growth Precinct 4. Council is providing recreational reserves and infrastructure in the area to support this growth. This work includes installing roads, footpaths, streetlights, and drains, as well as water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services. Council is currently progressing roading and service installation on Echo Place and Turoa Street in Growth Precinct 4, and this work will continue into the 2023/24 financial year.

Council undertakes regular road improvements to keep the district’s roading network safe and fit for purpose. In the 2023/24 year, Council will undertake a number of projects of this nature, including seal widening on Cemetery Road, Sanson and realignment of Mangamako Road.

Council is undertaking a programme of works to ensure resilience of Feilding’s Water Supply, and to reduce the abstraction of Feilding’s water supply from the Ōroua River. The Feilding potable water supply currently relies on the Ōroua River (Almadale Water Treatment Plant) and two groundwater sources (Campbell Road and Newbury Line bores) to ensure there is sufficient water throughout the year for Feilding. Council is currently in the process of commissioning a third groundwater source (bore) and constructing additional storage to ensure the Feilding potable water supply continues to meet the current and future needs of the town. This work will continue into the 2023/24 year.

Council is making further enhancements to its Wastewater Treatment Plant, and working to reduce the amount of treated wastewater that is discharged into the Ōroua River. This includes plans to separate trade waste from domestic wastewater and increasing the amount of wastewater discharged to land. The construction of a native plant wetland is part of these improvements. The wetland’s purpose is to provide land passage and a natural nutrient removal process prior to any Ōroua River discharge when irrigation to land is not possible. Earthworks on the constructed wetland are now complete which involved moving approximately 30,000 cubic metres of soil. Council is currently building the inlet and outlet structures for the wetland. Planting will be undertaken in mid2023 and will involve the planting of over 80,000 native plants specifically selected for their treatment properties. All the plants have been sourced and grown by Council’s Kawakawa Nursery with support from the Ngāti Kauwhata Jobs for Nature team.

This project involves the development of infrastructure to pipe wastewater from the villages of Halcombe, Sanson, Rongotea, Awahuri, Cheltenham and Kimbolton to the Manawatū Wastewater Treatment Plant in Feilding for treatment and disposal.

Council has partnered with the New Zealand Defence Force to accept wastewater from RNZAF Base Ōhakea as part of the Wastewater Centralisation project. This partnership reflects the importance of Base Ōhakea’s operations to our district, gives NZDF certainty for ongoing wastewater disposal requirements, supports the achievement of environmental goals for the district, and provides an additional source of capital that contributes to the wider wastewater centralisation initiative.

The Sanson to Feilding stage of the project is almost complete and includes the installation of storage tanks and pump stations in Sanson, and installation of intermediate pump stations between Sanson and Mount Stewart.

The Rongotea to Feilding stage of the project will be progressed in the 2023/24 financial year, including the installation of associated pump stations. Due to cost escalations in the construction sector and competing priorities, Council does not have sufficient budget to complete the Halcombe to Feilding stage of the project in 2023/24 as planned. Council will consider this stage of the project through the upcoming Long-term Plan 2024-34

Recent severe weather events have created emergency works requirements for the district’s roading network. Damage included:

• The washing away of the Churchill Road Bridge;
• The washing away of Konewa Bridge on Pohangina Valley East Road;
• The damage to both Diggers Creek Bridge and Makiekie/Cole Creek Bridge.

The essential work to fix the damage is being undertaken using the subsidised roading maintenance, renewal, and improvement budgets in the 2022/23 financial year. Council usually receives a 52% funding assistance rate from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for general road maintenance and renewal however emergency works in a large event can attract a 72% or 92% funding assistance rate depending on the scale of the event. Some of the emergency works funding will be carried forward into the 2023/24 financial year to fund bridge replacements which will not be completed by 30 June 2023.

Unfortunately, these emergency works, and the required budget have had to be prioritised over planned road maintenance works, specifically some of the planned sealed pavement maintenance programme. Shortfalls in budget for maintenance work will need to be addressed as part of Council’s Long-term Plan 2024/34, which will include consultation with the community.

The Turners Road extension will enable access to a further 24 hectares of high-quality industrial land and is anticipated to bring economic benefits to Feilding and the wider district by attracting industrial development. The project will also provide a pathway for a trade waste line between key industrial areas and the Manawatū Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Council began construction of Stage One of the Turners Road extension in early 2023. This stage included installation of a Right Turn Bay on Kawakawa Road, and construction of the new Turners Road from the Kawakawa Road intersection to the stormwater culvert.

Due to cost escalations in the construction sector, delays to the project due to a number of external factors, and competing Council priorities, there is currently insufficient budget in the Annual Plan 2023/24 to complete Stage Two of the project. Stage Two involves joining the existing Turners Road with the section of Turners Road installed during Stage One. Council will consider funding the completion of Stage Two as part of the draft Long-term Plan 2024-34.

Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2022-2028 includes a number of new solid waste services which will be provided to Feilding, and the villages of Himatangi Beach, Sanson, Rongotea and Halcombe. Changes in Levels of Service and consequential operational costs will be considered as part of Council’s Long-term Plan 2024-34, however capital costs associated with the purchase of the new bins has been included as new funding in the Annual Plan 2023/24 as follows:

A number of waste minimisation initiatives have been included within Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2022-2028. The aim of these actions is to improve waste minimisation in the district, and to divert as much waste away from landfill as possible. All these initiatives are fully funded by the Waste Levy Council receives from Central Government and will not have a rates impact. See the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 20222028 on Council’s website for a detailed list of initiatives. (Amount: $145,000 funded from the waste levy. Rates Impact: $0.00)

Due to project delays and cost escalations in the construction sector, additional funding is required to complete the protozoa compliance upgrade of the Stanway-Halcombe Rural Water Scheme to ensure the scheme meets NZ Drinking Water Standards.

(Amount: $700,000. Rates impact: $11,375 in 2023/24, $45,500 per annum for 2024/25 onwards)

Council has identified necessary upgrades for the current green waste area at the Manawatū Resource Recovery Centre. Establishment of a new hardstand area in a different location within the Resource Recovery Centre is required.

(Amount: $25,000. Rates Impact: $594 in 2023/24, $2,375 per annum for 2024/25 onwards)

A number of upgrades are required to the Feilding stormwater network to mitigate previous flooding issues. Funding has been included in the Annual Plan 2023/24 for preliminary investigations to enable future land acquisition, consenting and design for all planned works to be packaged as one stage of work. (

Amount: $500,000. Rates Impact: $8,125 in 2023/24) Additional Resourcing Native Plant Nursery)

Additional funding for the Community Development Fund has been included in the 2023/24 Annual Plan to enable Council to meet the commitments it made in the Community Development Policy.

(Amount: $24,000. Rates Impact: $24,000)

Funding has been included in the 2023/24 Annual Plan for additional business support, event and district promotion services provided through a contract with Feilding and District Promotion. These additional services were temporarily funded for the past two years through the Community Development Fund, given much of the community development funded activities could not proceed due to COVID and the restrictions that were in place at that time. The COVID restrictions have since been lifted. Returning the level of the Community Development Fund back to what it was two years ago will enable community organisations to access funding for community development initiatives.

(Amount: $146,000. Rates Impact: $146,000)

The Halcombe Community Committee are upgrading the tennis courts surface to allow for diverse and increased usage. This grant will provide seed funding to enable the Committee to undertake this work and is not the full amount requested. This will allow for hockey as well as other sports to be played on the courts by the community. There are additional improvements as part of this project including lighting upgrades.

(Amount: $30,000. Rates Impact: $30,000)

The Cheltenham Community Committee are to complete the final stage of the playground development in the village as part of the bigger park development. This grant will provide seed funding to enable the Committee to undertake this work and is not the full amount requested.

(Amount: $5,000. Rates Impact: $5,000)

The 2023/24 Annual Plan includes funding for Neighbourhood Support Manawatu to trial a rural community transport service. This on-demand transport service would enable rural residents to connect with town services and facilities, ensuring more equitable access for the transport disadvantaged.

(Amount: $22,0000. Rates Impact: $22,000)

Funding has been included to ensure legal compliance for all of Manawatu District Council’s handheld radio systems with the Radio Spectrum Management New Zealand requirements, and to ensure commonality of equipment for surge deployment during emergency events. This would enhance Council’s Civil Defence capability.

($36,400 plus ongoing OPEX)

Council’s current VHF radio base sets are over 25 years old and will not meet the requirements of the National Emergency Management Digital Radio Strategy. Funding is included to upgrade 22 community radio base sets to ensure they have the digital capability required by the Strategy. This upgrade will give our outlying communities a level of comfort that they will have an alternate form of communication with Council to give us situational updates and communicate their needs should an emergency event occur.

($35,200 plus ongoing OPEX)

Funding is included for webcams and flood depth gauges to monitor flood depths and forecasted impacts at three key sites: Vinegar Hill Camping Ground, Churchill Bridge, and Coulters Bridge. This equipment will compliment Horizons’ river level recording network and provide immediate flood status intelligence to emergency staff for additional key sites around the district. Gaining this intelligence will save valuable time in Council’s emergency response

($16,500 with ongoing OPEX)