Tauriko for tomorrow
Providing for growth in the Western Bay of Plenty
Tauriko for Tomorrow is a collaborative project driven by four key partners, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and the NZ Transport Agency.
Together we are implementing the vision of SmartGrowth for the wider region, starting in Tauriko West.
The vision for Tauriko for Tomorrow is to create a thriving community for locals to live, learn, work and play locally. This means the community will have amenities such as schools, parks, cycle and walkways, access to shopping and community facilities, and transport infrastructure.
Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty continue to experience strong population growth and as a result, more land is needed for housing.
We have identified Tauriko West as an ideal location to create a new community, able to accommodate an estimated 3,000 new dwellings from 2021.
Our role
Building a community at Tauriko West will require changes to the Regional Policy Statement, State Highway Realignment and designation, and Tauranga City Plan. Discussions between Western Bay and Tauranga City councils about a proposed boundary change are also underway.
All these changes will need to be implemented in accordance with the Resource Management Act 1991.
The reasons for a boundary change are because the majority of the land for Tauriko West currently sits within the Western Bay of Plenty District boundary.
Without a boundary change the Western Bay of Plenty District Council would be responsible for everything on one side of the boundary line and Tauranga City Council responsible for the other.
It makes sense that the growth area falls within one council's jurisdiction so there is the same set of rules and services for everyone that lives there.
Adjusting the boundary also offers consistency with things such as the administration of bylaws and the delivery of council services including roading, footpaths, reserves, water supply and wastewater, as well as governance - including political representation and the setting of rates.
The decision to go ahead with the boundary change rests with the Local Government Commission (with the process governed by the Local Government Act).
In March 2019 the Local Government Commission called for alternative applications to that received from Western Bay of Plenty District Council in November 2018 seeking to alter the boundary.
The call for alternative applications by the Commission is the next step in the process and provides the opportunity for members of the public who may have other ideas about local government in the affected area to put these forward for consideration.
Anyone can submit an alternative application. An alternative application must include a description of the type of local government change or changes proposed, a map or description of the affected area, what the changes are seeking to achieve, and what improvements would result from these changes.
Alternative applications and other proposals must be received at the Local Government Commission Thursday, 18 April 2019. They should be emailed to info@lgc.govt.nz or posted to: Chief Executive Officer, Local Government Commission, PO Box 5362, Wellington 6140.
Please visit www.taurikofortomorrow.co.nz for further information.
Other region-wide housing projects
This project is one of seven urban projects that will deliver new housing capacity in the region over the next 10 years as part of a long-term SmartGrowth Strategy.
Other project areas include Te Tumu (located in Papamoa East), building a more compact city for Tauranga and planning for future growth within the Keenan Road area (south of The Lakes development within Pyes Pa),Omokoroa,Katikati, and Te Puke.
