A new veterinary centre is planned for Ranfurly, to be built on the town's main street.
Veterinary Centre senior partner Simon Laming, of Oamaru, said it was hoped the centre would open either late this year or early next year, with two resident vets.
The centre is being established on the site of the former Ranfurly Auto building, which was extensively damaged by fire in 2010 and later demolished.
Veterinary Centre had always had a significant trading client base in the area and, with the recent sale of Central Vets, the company felt it was the right time to invest in a bigger presence in the area, Mr Laming said.
Geographically, it made sense. The practice was spread from Waimate and the Waitaki Valley to Oamaru and Palmerston, now to include Maniototo.
It was also the company's "type of practice", with high country runs, farm dogs and horses, sheep, beef and deer, intensive irrigated farms and developing dairy farms.
He was excited about the development and pleasantly surprised at the positive comments fielded from Maniototo locals.
Veterinary Centre had come a long way since it was established by Mr Laming in Oamaru in 1979, and now had 23 vets.
While there was a trend among veterinary practices to merge into national corporate groups, the company was focused on remaining an independent practice, big enough to have a significant and experienced veterinary resource to draw from, but small enough to be able to make decisions locally for clients, he said.
In keeping with Ranfurly's theme, there would be an art deco feature on the site.
Project Maniototo co-ordinator Amie Pont said several businesses in Ranfurly had changed hands recently and that, along with new businesses such as Veterinary Centre starting up, showed confidence in the town.
"People are not only wanting to invest in businesses there, they are also, in some cases, moving into the area and bringing their families, so they recognise it's a great place to live and do business."
Five Ranfurly-based businesses, most of them long-established, had changed hands in the last few months, and there were plans to turn the former Maniototo Dental Centre into a retail space next year.
"The people who have bought the businesses are continuing the core services and also bring their own diverse talents, so it's a vibrant business community," Mrs Pont said.
