SmartGrowth

the way ahead

Environment Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tangata Whenua

Rapid growth means trouble. People in western Bay of Plenty have the answer – SmartGrowth. The programme has social, economic and environmental goals that stretch out to 2051. Collaboration is key – SmartGrowth is an initiative of Environment Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and tangata whenua (local Maori community), consulting with their communities.
Managing infrastructure development in a sustainable manner is a big challenge for the Western Bay of Plenty region, as the figures show:

• Population in 2001 – 130,000
• Population 2021 – 197,000
• Population 2051 – 286,000

The SmartGrowth team has to not only take account and monitor the increasing population, but also its changing nature.
Every week:

• 100 people arrive from other places (and 52 leave)
• 32 new houses are built
• 54 more vehicles go on the road
• 45 new jobs are created.

By 2051, the number of:

• traditional families will double
• single and two-person households will treble
• people aged 80 or older will rise six-fold.

It all means councils will need to lobby central government and provide different services for:

• more residential accommodation
• new forms of housing
• additional business land
• more community, cultural and educational facilities
• new and different health care services
• better roads
• more efficient public transport and alternative modes
• more areas for safe walking and cycling.

It means providing:

• high-quality water to more than twice as many people as the councils do now
• enhanced wastewater and stormwater services.

At the same time, the councils must preserve the region’s environment, cultural heritage and open spaces that draw people to the area and make the western Bay a special place to live.

The strategy sets out the vision:
"In 50 years ... the western Bay of Plenty is a place where people can contribute to and enjoy a quality of life that meets their needs and aspirations. It provides lifestyle choices from surf to mountain-tops, which support and reflect the natural attributes of the area. There is a strong community feeling accompanied by spirit and pride."
The SmartGrowth strategy began in late 2000 with arrangements between the councils, local Maori, and the community to provide a structure for managing the strategy development. Funding was also agreed.

The second phase began in July 2001. It focused on:

• researching reasons for growth;
• likely demands of growth and issues involved in accommodating those demands, including
• the supply of land for housing, business and open space
• servicing for water supply, sewer, roads and stormwater
• protection of natural and cultural heritage.

A plan for regular communication with the community was established.
The third and fourth phases focused on:

• developing options for accommodating growth;
• testing and costing these to work out the best way to take into account community needs.

The fifth phase focused on implementing the preferred option, including:

• detailed planning of areas likely to be subject to growth pressure;
• how the strategy would be paid for.

The last phase was publication of the final strategy for public input. This was completed in April 2004.
The councils and tangata whenua have since set up a SmartGrowth Implementation Committee which is independently chaired and supported by an implementation advisor and management group.
For more information, see www.smartgrowthbop.org.nz

Who is involved: Environmental planners strategic planners policy developers environmental water and transportation engineers  communications advisors Maori liaison advisors.