Whangarei District Growth Strategy Was Produced by the Futures Planning Team, Policy and Monitoring Department, Environment Group, Whangarei District Council
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- res file contact Low version quality print & Publishing For Graphics Whangarei District Growth Strategy Acknowledgements The Whangarei District Growth Strategy was produced by the Futures Planning Team, Policy and Monitoring Department, Environment Group, Whangarei District Council. Group Manager Environment: Paul Dell Manager Policy and Monitoring Department: Paul Waanders Members of the Futures Planning Team: Dr Kerry Grundy – Team Leader David Coleman – Senior Strategic Planner Dianne Zucchetto – GIS/Trends Analyst Annejo Liang – Strategic Policy Planner Elise Batelaan – State of the Environment Co-ordinator Assistance provided by the following Policy Planners from the Policy and Monitoring Department, Whangarei District Council: Carine Andries – Policy Planner Helen Duncan – Senior Policy Planner Melissa McGrath – Policy Planner Background Report on Biodiversity provided by: Leigh Honnor Background Report on Health, Education and Safety provided by: Donna Stuthridge Input from Major Projects Department provided by: Dominic Kula – Team Leader Planning David Snowdon – Group Planner Economic analysis conducted by: Infometrics Ltd Graphic Design by: Sara King – Graphic Designer, Communications Department, Whangarei District Council Peer review by: Ken Tremaine Foreword from the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer FOREWORD The Sustainable Futures 30/50 Sub-regional Growth Strategy for Whangarei District sets out a vision for the sustainable development of Whangarei District and supports the development of a “sense of place”. It provides, over 30-year and 50-year timeframes, a comprehensive assessment of the most sustainable growth pattern for the district as we, as a community, strive to maintain it as an attractive and affordable place to live, work and play. The integrated Strategy’s spatial planning identifies the growth patterns which will best protect the district’s high amenity of urban environments and maintain its natural environment. Projections are that by 2060 Whangarei District will be home to a further 55,000 people, and work on the Sub-regional Growth Strategy was begun to ensure this growth is well managed and fosters strong economic development. Population growth of that order equates to an additional 400 to 500 homes built each year, totalling at least 20,000 more homes within the 50-year period. It is important, in order to preserve the district’s amenity values, its fertile soils and environment that this growth results in quality, compact urban environments. At the start of the project Council indicated the importance of consolidation, infill, transition (urban to rural) and choice as key elements in developing the Strategy. After analysing a number of scenarios, the Strategy has identified where, and the manner in which, growth will take place in the most sustainable way. Stan Semenoff In doing so, local government can now overlay its vision for the establishment of community Mayor facilities – commercial and retail areas, recreation areas, health facilities and schools – and accurately assess and plan for the infrastructure which will support them. The Strategy is vital, in a district such as ours with many on low or fixed incomes, in enabling local government to target infrastructural spending in a timely and cost-effective way. The Strategy contains the research which enables local government to win the district’s share of national resources needed to cater for growth and the economic benefits which go with it. Already the Board of the New Zealand Transport Agency has indicated its support for this approach in aligning Government and local government spending on roads. The Sustainable Futures 30/50 Sub-regional Growth Strategy is the most important document Whangarei District Council has ever produced. It lays the foundation for growth which will allow the district to maintain those features that make it such an attractive place to live, work and play, and identifies where that growth will contribute most environmentally, socially, culturally and economically to our increasing population. The project team which has led the research and produced the Growth Strategy has produced a first class assessment of the shape of future growth which will preserve the district’s character Mark Simpson and meet the expectations of its citizens for generations to come. Chief Executive Officer Whangarei District Growth Strategy :3 protection, where appropriate, of high class versatile soils from residential and rural residential Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY development. The Whangarei District experienced significant growth over the period 2001 to 2008. Between Although growth in the district is slowing in line with global and national trends, future growth 2001 and 2006 the population of the district increased from around 68,000 to 74,400, an increase is projected to continue and, in some parts of the district, has the potential to be substantial, of 9.35% or almost 2% per annum. The population increased to around 79,000 by 2009. Rural particularly in the Marsden Point/Ruakaka area and along the coast. The population of the and coastal areas experienced higher growth than urban areas. Over the past 15 years around Whangarei District is projected to increase from 74,430 in 2006 to around 110,000 in 2041 40% of the population growth occurred in urban Whangarei or around the urban fringes whilst (roughly the size of Tauranga) and to around 130,000 in 2061 (roughly the size of Hamilton). around 60% occurred in rural and coastal areas. Rates of population growth were highest along This represents an average annual increase of 1.35% or 1,000 additional people per annum, and the coast and in rural areas. The average annual growth rate for the rural area was 3% whilst a total increase in population of around 55,000. This equates to an average annual increase in along the coast it averaged 2%. This compares with an average annual growth rate of around occupied dwellings of 1.42%, or 400 additional dwellings per annum. Moreover, based on recent 0.5% per annum in urban Whangarei. growth rates, there are likely to be around 100 additional holiday homes per annum, mostly in coastal areas. This has resulted in widespread development throughout the district, including ribbon development along the coast and along transport corridors, sporadic development on the urban fringes, and To manage projected growth sustainably, the Whangarei District Council committed to formulating scattered rural residential development throughout the rural and coastal areas. The widely a long term sub-regional growth strategy. This project, entitled Sustainable Futures 30/50, sought dispersed nature of this development has created a number of challenges for the district. First, the to identify economic drivers of development, assess future growth potential, determine existing timely and cost effective provision of infrastructure is difficult if the future location of development and potential land use patterns, and assess and plan for infrastructural requirements for the is unknown or fragmented. Infrastructure provision under this scenario tends to be reactive rather district over a 30/50 year time frame. Environmental, social and cultural constraints on, and than proactive. Infrastructure, such as water provision, wastewater and stormwater disposal, solid consequences of, anticipated development were identified and assessed. Early in the process waste disposal, roading, parks and reserves all require long lead in times to plan and supply Council identified the need to consolidate growth, identify areas for infill, create transition from services in a cost effective and timely manner. urban to rural, and provide a choice of living styles and locations. This research and analysis enabled a long term, integrated, strategic planning programme to be developed, based upon Managing the cumulative effects of development on the biophysical environment increases in sustainability principles, which will assist the sustainable development of the district over the next complexity if development is widely dispersed and effects have to be managed on a case by case 50 years. basis. The danger of ‘death by a thousand cuts’ is inherent to this approach. There is mounting evidence in the district of adverse cumulative effects on landscape, natural character of the The 30 to 50 year time frame was chosen deliberately to provide a framework within which to coast, biodiversity, water quality, and amenity values. Avoiding adverse effects of development on manage future growth in the district. Firstly, the 50 year time frame provides for the development historic and cultural heritage, including sites of significance to Maori and archaeological sites, is of a long term vision for the district towards which Council can orientate its planning and resource difficult when development is widely dispersed and lightly regulated. Ribbon development along management functions. The 50 year time frame enables Council to respond to, and plan for, the coast and transport corridors is resulting in continuing detrimental effects on historic and longer term natural cycles such as climate change, biological change (forestry and fisheries), cultural heritage, particularly sites of significance to Maori and the district’s historic stone walls. changes to hydrology, changing land use patterns, and so on. The 30 year time frame enables Council to plan for the timely and efficient provision of infrastructure (both hard and soft). Major The fragmentation and consequent reduction in the productive