Before Hearings Commissioners on Behalf Of
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BEFORE THE HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS COMMITTEE IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 AND IN THE MATTER the Proposed Hamilton District Plan Hearing on Industrial Zone and Te Rapa North Industrial Zone STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF KENNETH JOHN TREMAINE On behalf of the Future Proof Implementation Committee (Submitter No. 608) 1 1. INTRODUCTION A. Qualifications and Experience 1.1 My full name is Kenneth John Tremaine. I am the director of Ken Tremaine Consulting Limited, which I founded in Auckland in 2000. Prior to this time I was the Director of the Local Government and Resource Management Unit of KPMG Management Consulting (Auckland) from 1993 to 2000. Before then I was Director of Planning at Palmerston North City Council from 1976 to 1993. 1.2 My academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts and a Postgraduate Diploma (Credit) in Urban Geography and Political Science from the University of Otago, and a Masters of Town Planning from the University of Auckland. I am also a full member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (United Kingdom), the New Zealand Planning Institute, and the Resource Management Law Association of New Zealand. 1.3 I have more than 39 years of professional experience in senior roles in local government, central government, and the private sector, spanning the following areas: . Planning and resource management, including the development and implementation of regional policy statements and plans, and district/city plans under the Resource Management Act 1991 (“RMA 1991” or “the Act”); . Development planning and growth management, including the integration of land use1, infrastructure, transportation, and funding under the RMA 1991, the Local Government Act 2002 (“LGA 2002”), and the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (“LTMA 2003”); . Central Government policy, and statutory and regulatory reform; and . Management consulting, including regulatory efficiency and compliance cost reduction. 1.4 I was the sole representative of the planning profession appointed to the Upton Review Group in 1990 which completed the drafting of the RMA 1991 in its final 1 I will use the term “land use” as an equivalent to the RMA 1991 term “activity”. 2 form. I have continued to be involved in Central Government policy and regulatory development since that time. 1.5 I have extensive experience in growth management strategy development and implementation at the regional and district levels, particularly through regional policy statements and district plans. My growth management experience includes: . the western Bay of Plenty sub-region (being the territorial administrative areas of Tauranga City Council and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council), as well as the Bay of Plenty region with the SmartGrowth Strategy; . the Greater Christchurch sub-region (being the territorial administrative areas of Christchurch City Council, Waimakariri District Council and Selwyn District Council) as well as the Canterbury region with the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy; . the Taupo district with their growth strategy - Taupo District 2050; . Whangarei district with their growth strategy - Sustainable Futures 30/50; . Napier City, Hastings District and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council with the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy. B. Waikato Region and Hamilton City Experience 1.6 Currently I hold the position of Implementation Advisor for the Future Proof Strategy ("Future Proof" or “Strategy”); the growth management strategy for the ‘Future Proof sub-region’ (“sub-region”). The Future Proof sub-region refers to the territorial areas of the Waikato District Council (“Waikato DC”), the Waipa District Council (“Waipa DC”), and the Hamilton City Council (“HCC”). It is an area with ongoing population growth as well as significant levels of development. The Strategy was developed by these territorial authorities in the broad context of the LGA 2002 alongside Strategy partners the Waikato Regional Council (“Waikato RC” or “Regional Council”) and Tāngata Whenua (Tainui Waka Alliance) to look at how the Future Proof sub-region should develop sustainably into the future. The New Zealand Transport Agency (“NZTA”) and the Matamata- Piako District Council also assisted with the Strategy’s development. 3 1.7 Prior to Future Proof’s launch on 8 September 2009 I held the position of (Technical) Project Manager. In that role I was responsible for overseeing the Strategy’s research, drafting, public notification, submission hearings, and adoption phases. Future Proof is currently in its implementation phase. 1.8 I have read the Proposed Hamilton District Plan (“PDP”) which was notified by the Hamilton City Council in December 2012 and forms the subject of these proceedings. 1.9 The Future Proof Implementation Committee (“FPIC”) prepared primary and further submissions in broad support of the PDP. The FPIC is a joint committee under Clause 30 of Schedule 7 of the LGA 2002 and is tasked with implementing Future Proof. Although the FPIC comprises members from each Strategy partner, as the administering authority for the PDP, the Hamilton City Council abstained from forming a part of the FPIC’s primary and further submissions in broad support of the PDP. 1.10 I have also read both the: . Summary of Submissions to the PDP which the Hamilton City Council notified in May 2013; and . Council’s Section 42A Reports – Report on Submissions and Further Submissions – Chapter 9 Industrial Zone Volume 1 (Incorporating Appendix 6 Industrial Zone Volume 2) and Report on Submissions and Further Submissions – Chapter 12 Te Rapa North Industrial Zone Volume 1 (“Staff Report”) which were released in November 2013. 1.11 As a result of my experience, I have a comprehensive working knowledge of developing and implementing district plans under the RMA 1991. Furthermore having been involved in the sub-region on a number of issues associated with Future Proof implementation, I also have considerable knowledge of: a) Growth issues facing the Future Proof sub-region; b) The Future Proof Strategy framework that sits alongside the Hamilton City Council’s policy framework; c) The context of the PDP; 4 d) The importance of integrating land use and infrastructure; and e) The linkages between the Proposed Waikato Regional Policy Statement (“Proposed RPS”) and the PDP. C. Code of Conduct 1.12 I confirm that I have read and am familiar with the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses in the Environment Court Consolidated Practice Note (2006) (including its 2011 amendments) and I agree to comply with it. In that regard I confirm that this evidence is written within my expertise, except where otherwise stated, and that I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions expressed. 2. EVIDENCE SCOPE 2.1 I have been authorised by the FPIC to present this evidence in support of its primary and further submissions to the PDP. 2.2 My evidence brief covers the following: a) The importance of the industrial zone provisions of the PDP in terms of implementing the Future Proof Strategy; b) FPIC’s major primary and further submission points to the PDP which are relevant to the industrial zone; c) Discusses the recommendations of the Staff Report; and d) Sets out my conclusions. 2.3 In the evidence which I presented to the Hearings Committee on 17 September 2013 on the Overview and Strategic Framework chapters of the PDP, I covered the origins of the Future Proof Strategy, the Future Proof settlement pattern, integrating land use and infrastructure, Future Proof and the RMA 1991 and the importance of the PDP. I do not propose to repeat that material, however the information included in that brief is relevant to this subject and provides important background and context. 5 3. IMPORTANCE OF THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE PROVISIONS 3.1 The Future Proof Strategy contains key principles for business development. I note that the term “business” in the Future Proof Strategy encompasses both industrial and commercial activity. 3.2 The key Future Proof principles include maintaining the Metropolitan Hamilton CityHeart as the vibrant retail, business, arts, and social “heart” of the sub- region; ensuring commercial and industrial development is located in selected sub-regional areas and that it is not located where it undermines the areas of influence of the Hamilton CityHeart; protecting existing and future infrastructure and transport corridors, including the Waikato Expressway, Southern Links and rail corridors, from development that could constrain or compromise the efficiency of infrastructure and transport corridor operation; and encouraging development in existing settlements to support existing infrastructure.2 3.3 The Strategy contains the following key approaches for business development3: (a) Focus on Hamilton CityHeart as the commercial and business heart of the Future Proof sub-region. (b) Ensure commercial and industrial developments are not located in areas that undermine the areas of influence of the Hamilton CityHeart, including the extensive development of retail/mall shopping in locations not identified in the Future Proof Strategy. (c) Business land will be provided for on an uptake basis, only in the areas agreed in the Future Proof Strategy. (d) The amount of business land has to be sufficient to meet the sub-region’s needs and it also needs to support ‘live, work, play’ principles. (e) Locating future industrial land in suitable areas to avoid sensitivity issues and maximise efficient use of existing and planned infrastructure. (f) Infrastructure and services are in place, or will be provided as part of planned extensions or upgrades, to support business land but only in accord with Future Proof. 2 Future Proof Growth Strategy & Implementation Plan 2009, pages 20-21 3 Future Proof Growth Strategy & Implementation Plan 2009, section 8.19.3 at page 124, section 8.18.3 at pages 120-121, 6 (g) Discourage the development of big box retail outside of the Hamilton CityHeart, suburban and town centres. 3.4 The Future Proof Strategy contains actions for giving effect to Future Proof principles concerning business development.