T HE WESTERN B AY OF P LENTY S UB- REGION 50-YEAR S TRATEGY AND I MPLEMENTATION P LAN 3 M AY 2004 SMARTGROWTH Foreword The adoption of this SmartGrowth Strategy and Implementation Plan by the three partner Councils in May 2004 is a significant time for the western Bay of Plenty sub- region. This follows the most extensive joint consultation programme in the sub- region. Growth brings many challenges to the sub-region. Every week : • 100 new people arrive from other places. • 52 people leave the sub-region. • 32 new houses are built. • 54 more vehicles go on the roads. • 45 new jobs are created. This Strategy was initiated in 2001 arising from community concerns about continued rapid population growth, and the lack of leadership and coordinated arrangements to manage that growth. SmartGrowth brings together Councils with Tangata Whenua and other key organisations within the community. Through this relationship an understanding has been developed of growth issues, and the community has worked through what is needed to achieve sustainable development as the vision for growth management. The Strategy developed by SmartGrowth strengthens the sub-regional response to growth management. The outlook to 2051 provides a context for considering decisions of the present and how they may affect the welfare of coming generations. The Strategy reinforces the importance of some familiar issues, including the location of housing and employment and their impact on transportation networks and the need to protect versatile land resources that provide a strong base for the region’s economy. It has also highlighted the need to address areas that have not traditionally been part of growth management in the sub-region. These include the development of resources by Tangata Whenua, strengthening the position of families, and the provision of affordable housing. There is little doubt that rapid population growth will continue in the sub-region for the foreseeable future, and this will continue to present new challenges. The response to these challenges will be strengthened by what has taken place in the SmartGrowth project over the past three years. The Strategy demonstrates a practical endorsement of the cooperative approach adopted to manage growth in the western Bay of Plenty sub-region. The challenge ahead is to successfully implement the Strategy so the sub-region benefits from the considerable investment made in developing it. 3 May 2004: SmartGrowth Strategy and Implementation Plan i SMARTGROWTH Arrangements for this have been put in place through the newly formed SmartGrowth Implementation Committee, which will oversee the strategic actions in accordance with an agreed programme. This Committee will also have the responsibility of revising relevant parts of the strategy when the Regional Land Transport Strategy is adopted in September 2004. On-going dialogue, shared planning and the opportunity to work together with Central Government is also critical to the success of the strategy. We commend the strategy to you along with our thanks for your input to it. We also encourage you to assist us with its implementation. 3 May 2004 3 May 2004: SmartGrowth Strategy and Implementation Plan ii SMARTGROWTH Contents 7.1.2. Open Coast ....................................41 1. Strategy Overview............................. 1 7.1.3. Harbours.........................................44 1.1. Leadership ................................................1 7.1.4. Land ...............................................47 1.2. Natural and Cultural Environment.............1 7.1.5. Fresh Water....................................49 1.3. Enhanced Lifestyles..................................2 7.1.6. Air...................................................50 7.1.7. Energy............................................52 1.4. Affordable Infrastructure ...........................4 7.1.8. Landscape......................................54 1.5. Economic Development............................4 7.1.9. Hazards..........................................57 2. Document Format ............................. 9 7.1.10. Heritage Places............................59 3. Vision Statement............................. 10 7.2. Enhanced lifestyles.................................61 7.2.1. Regional Settlement Strategy.........62 4. Background..................................... 12 7.2.2. Sub-regional Settlement Pattern...........................................64 5. Context ............................................ 17 7.2.3. Residential Development ...............66 5.1. Global......................................................17 7.2.4. Business.........................................73 7.2.5. City and Town Centres...................77 5.2. National...................................................18 7.2.6. Rural Issues ...................................80 5.3. Regional..................................................18 7.2.7. Aggregates and other Mineral 6. Sub-regional Growth Issues .......... 19 Resources.....................................84 7.2.8. Tangata Whenua............................85 6.1. Introduction .............................................19 7.2.9. SmartSpace (Open Space, 6.2. Population...............................................19 Sport, Arts and Leisure) ................91 6.3. Economy and Employment.....................19 7.2.10. Education ...................................105 7.2.11. Health.........................................108 6.4. Regional Settlement Strategy .................20 7.2.12. Community Development...........110 6.5. Sub-Regional Settlement Pattern ...........21 7.2.13. Affordable Housing.....................112 6.6. Residential Development........................21 7.3. Economic Development........................114 6.7. Rural .......................................................28 7.3.1. Economic Development and 6.8. Highly Versatile Land..............................28 Employment ................................115 6.9. Land for Business and Employment .......28 7.4. Efficient and Affordable Infrastructure ..116 7.4.1. Transport......................................117 6.10. City and Town Centres .........................29 7.4.2. Water Supply................................125 6.11. Social Infrastructure..............................29 7.4.3. Wastewater ..................................126 6.12. SmartSpace (Open Space, Sports 7.4.4. Stormwater...................................129 Arts and Leisure).....................................29 7.4.5. Solid Waste ..................................130 6.13. Landscape ............................................29 7.4.6. Utilities and Infrastructure.............131 6.14. Ecological Protection ............................30 7.5. Leadership............................................133 6.15. Coastal Resources................................30 7.5.1. Governance..................................134 6.16. Tangata Whenua ..................................30 7.5.2. Community Engagement..............138 7.5.3. Funding ........................................140 6.17. Transport...............................................31 7.5.4. Monitoring and Review.................143 6.18. Severely Constrained Land...................32 7.6. Management.........................................146 6.19. Infrastructure Networks.........................32 7.6.1. Resources ....................................147 6.20. Funding.................................................32 7.7. Policy Instruments ................................149 7. Implementation Methods................ 34 7.7.1. Development and Integration of Plans and Policies.......................150 7.1. Natural and Cultural Environment...........36 7.1.1. Natural Environment and Biodiversity....................................37 3 May 2004: SmartGrowth Strategy and Implementation Plan iii SMARTGROWTH 8. Acknowledgements ...................... 152 Figures 8.1. SmartGrowth People.............................152 Figure 2: Relationship Diagram .......................................5 8.2. Other Contributors ................................153 Figure 3: Sub-Regional Settlement Pattern map. ............6 9. Additional Information.................. 154 Figure 4: Sub-Regional Settlement Pattern Map, Tauranga City ..................................................................7 10. Appendices.................................. 155 Figure 5: Eastern and Southern Corridor Strategy ..........8 Figure 6: Key Compliance Areas ...................................15 10.1. Glossary of terms................................155 Figure 7: Sustainable Development Concept. ...............17 Figure 8: Future Growth Estimates................................19 10.2. Growth Management Areas Map........158 Figure 9: Residential Development Timing Chart ..........23 10.3. Abbreviations ......................................159 Figure 10: Residential Development Timing Diagram ...24 Figure 11: Illustrations of Residential Development Types 10.4. Existing Planning Instruments.............161 in the Western Bay of Plenty..........................................25 10.5. Tangata Whenua Reports of Figure 12: Action table explanation................................34 Significance...........................................163 Figure 13: Cost Estimate Confidence Levels.................35 Figure 14: SmartGrowth Implementation Structure. ....133 10.6. Published Reports...............................166 10.6.1. Working Papers..........................166 10.6.2. Growth Demand Research.........167