Whakatāne District Council has adopted a Local Growth Strategy, setting out how the district will plan for growth, housing, infrastructure, resilience and environmental outcomes over the next 30 years.

Adopted at yesterday’s strategy and policy committee, the strategy provides a long-term framework to guide how and where growth can occur as the district changes.

The Local Growth Strategy does not rezone land, approve development, or commit the council to funding decisions. Instead, it provides a framework to guide future work, including the long-term plan, regional spatial planning, infrastructure planning and future structure plans.

The council said the district was already experiencing growth pressures, including housing shortages, infrastructure capacity challenges and natural hazard risks. The strategy responded by taking a coordinated approach to ensure future development was well planned and supported communities over the long term.

Whakatāne District Council Mayor Nándor Tánczos says the strategy is about planning ahead, while keeping flexibility for future decisions.

A strong theme from engagement was the importance of working in partnership with iwi and hapū.

“Iwi have been clear they expect to be partners in shaping growth outcomes and as a council we welcome that. That is reflected in the strategy and will continue to guide how we work as implementation progresses,” he said.