BEFORE THE BOARD OF INQUIRY IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 AND IN THE MATTER of a Board of Inquiry appointed under s 149J of the Resource Management Act 1991 to consider the application for resource consents by Watercare Services Ltd to increase abstraction of water from the Waikato River. STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF LUKE O’DWYER (HCC PLANNING AND GROWTH) Dated 18 June 2021 Instructing Solicitor: Michelle Hawthorne [email protected] 1 INTRODUCTION Qualifications and experience 1. My full name is Luke O’Dwyer. 2. I am the City Planning Manager for Hamilton City Council (HCC), a position I have held for approximately three years. 3. Between 2013 and 2017, I was the Manager for Economic Growth and Planning for HCC. Before then I was employed in senior planning roles in public and private sector organisations between 2002 and 2012. 4. My qualifications include a Bachelor of Town Planning (Hons) from the University of New South Wales, a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Studies (Environmental Management) from Macquarie University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from Waikato University. I am a board member of the New Zealand Planning Institute, a full member of the Planning Institute of Australia and am also an honorary lecturer in planning at Waikato University. 5. I have more than 20 years of professional planning experience obtained in a variety of roles in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. 6. My experience includes: The development and implementation of metropolitan and district/city plans in Australia and the United Kingdom, and district/city plans under the Resource Management Act 1991 in New Zealand (RMA or the Act); Development of major structure plans, large scale strategic planning reviews and urban renewal strategies; 2 Project feasibility and investigation, Option analysis and evaluation, Environmental Impact Assessment in the urban development and infrastructure sectors; and Project management and stakeholder engagement. 7. As the City Planning Manager for HCC my responsibilities include: Structure planning projects (including implementation) across parts of the City; Project assessment of large infrastructure proposals; The administration of HCC’s Operative District Plan; Growth management at the city and sub-regional scale; Administration of HCC’s Urban Design Panel; Policy and planning integration with our Future Proof partners; and Strategic property acquisition and disposal. 8. I am authorised by HCC to provide evidence in these proceedings. Code of conduct 9. I have read the Environment Court Code of Conduct for expert witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014 and agree to comply with it. I confirm that the opinions expressed in this statement are within my area of expertise except where I state that I have relied on the evidence of other persons. I have not omitted to consider materials or 3 facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions I have expressed. SCOPE OF EVIDENCE 10. My evidence outlines: The planning and investment context of the Hamilton-Waikato Metropolitan Area (metro area). Hamilton’s role and function in the Hamilton to Auckland Corridor (H2A corridor or corridor), now and into the future. HCC’s approach to planning for long-term growth. Specific comments on the proposal. SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE 11. Hamilton is a significant metropolitan centre and its long-term development is important to the prosperity of Auckland, the Upper North Island and New Zealand. 12. This importance is recognised by both Central Government and Auckland Council through their respective membership of the Hamilton to Auckland Corridor Urban Growth Partnership and the Upper North Island Strategic Alliance (UNISA). 13. Like Auckland, the economy and the population of Hamilton, and the broader metro area, are expected to grow significantly over the next 30 years. 14. The availability of water for both cities is critical for this longer-term growth to occur. 4 15. Hamilton’s economy and urban system is connected to Auckland. A successful Auckland, growing in a way that compliments both cities, can continue to deliver improvements in wellbeing for their communities and for New Zealand as a whole. 16. While its submission signalled opposition to the application, HCC’s preference is not that the Watercare application be declined. Such an outcome would not assist the wellbeing of either Auckland or Hamilton communities. 17. However, HCC is of the opinion that if the application were approved, conditions of consent which gradually reduce the reliance of Auckland’s water supply from the Waikato River would not be inconsistent with the approach to securing new sources of water supply as outlined in the Watercare application and as indicated in the evidence of witnesses appearing on behalf of Watercare. 18. Such an approach would not result in the Waikato River being fully allocated and would also not preclude HCC from obtaining increases in water supply to support its planned growth and investment. 19. This balanced approach would assist in enabling Hamilton to fulfil its role as a major metropolitan centre for New Zealand as indicated through the collaborative partnerships, focus, and effort being made by the Future Proof Partnership. THE PLANNING AND INVESTMENT CONTEXT OF THE HAMILTON - WAIKATO METROPOLITAN AREA Background 20. Hamilton has a population of approximately 181,467 people and sits within the centre of the Waikato sub-region. 5 21. It is the fourth largest city in New Zealand, ranking behind Auckland (1.8 million), Christchurch City (400,000), and Wellington City (220,000). 22. A total of 238,000 people live within the metro area, which includes Cambridge, Te Awamutu, and Taupiri/Ngaruawahia). 23. Recent projections undertaken by the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis (NIDEA HIGH 2018 Series) indicates that by 2065, the population of Hamilton is predicted to rise to 304,762 and the metro area is forecast to increase to approximately 428,038. Attachment 1 to my evidence outlines the demographic projections for Hamilton, the Waikato Region, and the metro area. 24. The strategic importance of Hamilton and the role that it plays in New Zealand’s current and future prosperity has been recognised by central government, and indeed, Auckland Council, through the work of the Hamilton to Auckland Urban Growth Partnership that was formed following the creation of the Hamilton to Auckland Corridor Plan (H2A Plan) and the development of the Hamilton-Waikato Metropolitan Spatial Plan (MSP Plan). 25. The genesis for these initiatives arose from the development of the Government’s Urban Growth Agenda (UGA). Hamilton to Auckland Corridor Plan 26. The UGA, introduced in 2018, represented a shift in the approach to urban development and infrastructure planning in New Zealand. 27. The development of the UGA resulted in central government agencies liaising with territorial authorities and mana whenua to explore opportunities for growth consistent with the UGA. Early investigation led 6 to the identification of the H2A corridor as a priority area, acknowledging its role as New Zealand’s most significant transport corridor. 28. This ultimately led to the development of the H2A Plan, included as Attachment 2 to my evidence. 29. The purpose of the H2A Plan is to develop an integrated spatial plan and establish an ongoing growth management partnership for the corridor which: Accelerates identified transformational opportunities; Outlines key housing, employment, social, environmental and network infrastructure priorities for the corridor over the next 30 years to successfully accommodate growth and address levels of service, remedial or renewal needs; and Identifies planning, development, infrastructure, mitigation, and restoration works required, and funding and legislative projects partners may take in the short-term for implementation of a long- term vision. Water initiatives as part of the H2A 30. As part of the development of the H2A corridor, the critical nature of water supply was identified. Local authorities, iwi, communities, and industry face significant challenges in meeting their current and future Three Waters service needs. A key project in this area is a Waikato sub-regional Three Waters study that seeks to identify the most innovative, responsive and timely water infrastructure solutions, which deliver better environmental outcomes, community benefits and overall efficiencies and resiliency. 7 31. The study focuses on the development, delivery, and management of municipal Three Waters (water, stormwater, and wastewater) infrastructure for urban settlements in the study area which includes parts of the Waikato and Waipa districts and all of the HCC jurisdiction. Ten, 30 and 100-year planning horizons have been adopted for the study and a strategic business case has been completed to date. 32. Mr Parsons refers to the strategic business case in his evidence. Other investigations (such as for the sub-regional wastewater business case) propose solutions predicated on significantly larger populations and economic growth than the present state. This is because Hamilton and the sub-region will have an enhanced role and function over the next 30-50 years. The Hamilton to Auckland Urban Growth Partnership 33. All of the work undertaken as part of the H2A Plan led to the creation of the first Urban Growth Partnership in New Zealand. The H2A Urban Growth Partnership brings two regions, mana whenua, central and local government together to integrate and coordinate land use, network and social infrastructure planning and delivery. 34. The H2A Urban Growth Partnership has identified a range of initiatives to stimulate stronger corridor connections and to enable greater planning and investment activities. One of these key initiatives was the development of a joint spatial plan for the metro area. The Hamilton - Waikato Metropolitan Spatial Plan 35. The MSP is the first joint spatial plan for the metro area prepared by iwi, the Crown, and local government partners under the Future Proof Partnership. The metro area extends from Taupiri in the north to Te Awamutu and Cambridge in the south, with Hamilton at the core.