Residents of Omokoroa now have a blueprint to help shape their growing community with the adoption of the Omokoroa Community Development Plan by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

The Plan is the result of almost a year's engagement by Council with a diverse range of Omokoroa's community groups, such as sports and boating clubs, individuals and the two schools. The Omokoroa Family Fun Day and open workshops earlier this year were well attended and added valuable input to the Plan.

The Plan brings together current and future initiatives and will serve as a guideline for actions and visions perceived by the community as essential for Omokoroa's successful future as it grows to accommodate an increasing population.

The Plan captures a 20-year direction for the development of culture, heritage, the arts, the economy, environment, social facilities and services, transport, recreation and leisure, land use and the future built environment.

Council Policy and Community Development Manager Ruth Woodward says working with the Omokoroa community has been immensely rewarding and the outcome is very satisfying.

“Omokoroa people have been willing to engage with us – and they were clear about how they want to see their community develop.  They are proud of it and they know what they want retained and how they want it to develop. They are keen to retain the peaceful, unhurried way of life and the green open spaces and village look and feel of their seaside peninsula,'' says Ruth.

“This Plan gives the community a blueprint from which visions and actions can be achieved. It captures the live, work and play philosophy of the region's growth strategy and it will involve community groups, non-government agencies, tangata whenua and businesses – as well as Council.”

Omokoroa has built up a strong relationship with Council in the past few years through the development of Structure Plans, the wastewater plant and the SmartGrowth strategy for future settlement planning. This relationship helped staff to engage with the community in consultation on the Community Development Plan.

Now that the Plan has been finalised, it will be up to the community groups, Council and organisations to pick up their respective tasks and start taking action on issues in a timely manner.

While the longer term visions of land use and commercial development will take many years to materialise in response to population growth, there are a number of action plans that will take effect in the short to medium term, such as growth of the arts, new recreational facilities and enhancement of the harbour environment.