November 27, 2007
Media Release (For Immediate Release)
New Director for Property Company
Harry O’Rourke has been appointed to the board of Waitakere Properties Ltd (WPL).
He fills one of two vacancies on the board of the company, which is a wholly owned development arm of Waitakere City
Council.
Mr O’Rourke is well known in local government circles, where he has spent the majority of his career. He is currently
CEO at Waitakere City Council and retires from that position in March 2008.
“We are delighted that we can retain some of Harry’s institutional knowledge of the City and its major projects,” says
Mayor Bob Harvey after his Council unanimously endorsed the appointment.
“The next few years will see Waitakere transition from a City of potential to one of huge growth and opportunity, and
Harry and his fellow directors on the property company have a key role in delivering that vision.”
In recent years WPL has been involved in a number of major projects, including the 41.5hectare residential development
at Harbourview (Te Atatu Peninsula) and the building of the country’s largest film studio and soundstage in Henderson
Valley Rd.
It is currently undertaking a large mixed-use development in central Henderson including retail, office and residential
development alongside the new Civic centre. The estimated value of the Waitakere Central development, located on the
3.5ha former Carter Holt Harvey site on Henderson Valley Rd, is more than $100 million.
The company is also responsible for delivering on the vision of a super yacht precinct at Hobsonville as a driver of
economic growth for the City. The end value of this development is $150 million.
Mr O’Rourke helped establish Waitakere Properties Ltd (under the then Waitemata City Council). He says is he
particularly looking forward to a continuing role with major infrastructure developments he has overseen in his time at
Waitakere City Council, including the undergrounding of the railway corridor through New Lynn and the “massive
development opportunities” that will bring.
ENDS