Wellington's Te Atiawa is just the latest iwi to do business with retirement village operator Ryman Healthcare.
The company is building a site on tribal-owned land in Petone, north of Wellington. A blessing ceremony this week marked the start of development work on the $120 million retirement village on the site of the old Petone Technical College..
Ngati Whatua o Orakei in Auckland has struck a similar deal with the firm, and Ngai Tahu is a Ryan Healthcare investor.
Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust is the commercial division of Te Atiawa, and chair Neville Baker said Ryman had realised some tribes could be the perfect partner. It had taken the initiative and targetted iwi who had reclaimed blocks of land under the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.
The relationship with Ryman was huge for the Port Nicholson Trust because it fitted well with the direction the tribe was heading in, he said. The tribe wanted to look after not just the Maori community but also the wider community.
Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace said it was a significant investment and would provide much-needed jobs for the residents of Petone.
The village will be built in different stages and will cater to a variety of needs. It includes resthome suites, hospital and dementia care, serviced apartments and independent living apartments for up to 440 people.
A computer-generated image of Ryman Healthcare's Petone retirement village. Photo: Ryman Healthcare