Community Engagement Encouraged in Awakeri Expansion Structure Plans

Whakatāne District Council are planning long term urban expansion of Awakeri with a structure plan, influenced by a community reference group.

Planning and Consents Manager Nicolas Woodley said the structure plan will be vital to shaping what Awakeri will look like in 30 years.  

A briefing was held about the structure plan last week, which will include plans to accommodate around 2,000 homes over 30-plus years as part of the Eastern Bay of Plenty spatial plan. 

"It's really about ensuring we have well-planned, well-coordinated growth. And that structural plan will include consideration of what infrastructure we need where, good urban design, water sensitive design, avoiding flooding impacts, limiting impact on highly productive land."

There have been initial conversations with landowners about what this could look like but "there will be wider opportunities for iwi, hapu and the community."

Over the next month, applications of interest will open for community members to work alongside council to design the structure plan. 

"A structural plan is really about shaping the look, feel and function of future growth and it is really important that we get local input into that and what it looks like." 

Their input would shape "what would growth look like, what outcomes we're seeking to achieve and really help sort of shape the direction of it." 

Council plan to have the structure plan completed later this year so it can be placed into the next long term plan. 

Woodley said other areas cannot keep expanding due to natural hazard risk, and more housing is needed to keep up with population growth. 

It is anticipated around 3,500 new homes will be needed in the district over the next 30 years with more young families staying, household structures changing and people returning to the district. 

It is important to support this growth or "there won't be available houses for people to buy and to move to. So people will not be able to live in the district and houses will continue to get more expensive, unfortunately," Woodley said. 

Awakeri has "has relatively low natural hazard risk compared to other parts of the district," which makes it ideal for long term development. 

Woodley said the direct connections to State Highway 2 and 30 make it easily accessible to employment areas such as Kawerau, Edgecumbe and Whakatāne. 

He added the large land parcels in the area lend itself to well coordinated expansion, which would be guided by the structure plan.