Reorientation of Murupara’s commercial centre toward State Highway 38 is one of the key features of a new masterplan for the town.

Whakatāne District Council’s strategy and policy committee was presented with the Murupara Masterplan developed in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Manawa for endorsement on Thursday.

Mayor Nandor Tanczos said the masterplan showed “a really great vision for a place that once was a thriving, prosperous little town”.

“It’s been through some hard times and the thinking we have seen from the rūnanga around how to rejuvenate and revive the fortunes of Murupara is really commendable,” he said.

The masterplan is part of the council’s Southern District Towns Regeneration Project, funded by the Government as part of the Better Off Funding package of works, under the Three Waters Infrastructure Programme.

The project also includes a masterplan for Minginui still being developed in partnership with Ngāti Whare.

The funding also included activation funding – $250,000 for Murupara and $150,000 for Minginui – to attract co-investment and unlock early project development.

In Murupara, this activation fund is being used for recreational improvements at Taniwha Park, in conjunction with the Murupara Water Treatment Plant upgrade project, located in the same area. The funding will support improved access to the Rangitāiki River swimming area and is expected to be implemented in the latter half of the year.

The masterplan captures the aspirations of Ngāti Manawa and the community of Murupara, and does not impose requirements or obligations on the council.

The strategic vision is for Murupara to be a thriving service hub for the wider area.

It would see the existing commercial zone replaced with a mixed-use zone to encourage residential development, including provision for kaumatua kāinga (retirement housing) within walking distance of health and social services.

Upgrades to Murupara Aquatic Centre and Taniwa Park and development of a community centre, playground and skatepark are some of the improvements envisioned. However, the masterplan recognises that external funding sources would be required for these to be achieved.

Progress made on existing council projects, including the new water treatment plant and the replacement of the wastewater treatment consents and associated upgrades, were also reflected in the masterplan.

Te Runanga o Ngāti Manawa chief executive Eugene Berryman-Kamp told the committee it was appreciated that Ngāti Manawa could work alongside the council in the generation of the plan.

“We hosted a number of the community meetings and I think it does accurately reflect the aspirations of our community for what they want Murupara to look, feel and be like as a place for them to live in,” he said.

“We understand that it is an aspirational document. We are not going to hold you to everything on each page, but it’s important.”

Mr Berryman-Kamp said Murupara was designed to accommodate a much bigger population than it does now, but housing stocks had been run down over the years.

“Murupara in its heyday had a population of about 5000. The last census had us at about 1800.

“There’s a shortage of quality, warm, affordable accommodation.”

There were commercial opportunities Ngāti Manawa would like to see realised that could attract people into the region but predominantly it wanted to create warm, quality affordable housing for local families to move into.