Tauranga City Council planning and growth manager Andy Mead told the meeting that transport solutions in the Western Corridor were “a longstanding issue”.
He said when the decision was made to progress with Tauriko West in 2016, Waka Kotahi made “commitments” at the same time to proceed with transport planning, which started in 2017.
”Five years later, and we’re still some way away from understanding what that [transport] solution will be, when it might be able to be developed; is it affordable?
”We still don’t have a solution that enables us to rezone Tauriko West with confidence that it can all be developed. We don’t have a solution that enables all of the Tauriko Business Estate to be rezoned and developed with confidence,” Mead said.
“The land is currently zoned for rural use, and requires rezoning in order for the development to occur.”
Waka Kotahi had been in a “difficult space”, having faced a change of government and a “significant change” in transport policy and direction, Mead said.
Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley expressed her “serious frustration” at the timing, and that the transport options were based on density figures from 2012. This didn’t take into account the new Government density rules that allowed for greater intensification.
”We know density can happen anywhere in the city, but none of that is being considered by Waka Kotahi with the transport options,” she said.
”It’s [the transport solution] only in the 10-year plan as a business case. And that’s our strong message, from the region to Government, is that this is holding up significant housing and industrial development in the city and has been for 10, maybe 15 years.”
Commissioner Stephen Selwood mirrored Tolley’s frustration, saying all the agencies involved needed to align to realise the Western Corridor’s potential.
”The failure of Waka Kotahi to deliver the infrastructure because they have constrained funding means that Tauranga citizens who both live here and who are coming here are paying exorbitant house prices because Council can’t deliver the infrastructure to open up the land,” he said.
”We might win the battle on penny-pinching on the project, but we lose the war in terms of how we actually provide for the future growth of the city.
“We need to have strategic discussions with Waka Kotahi to make sure of their intent to deliver their part of it, because that corridor cannot be developed to its capacity without the State Highway 29 upgrade,” Selwood said.
In response to the council’s concerns, Waka Kotahi regional manager for system design, Jess Andrew, said the agency was committed to completing the Tauriko Network Connections Business Case and seeking Board endorsement in 2023.
”There have been some delays to its completion while we ensure the proposed project responds to the recently released Emissions Reduction Plan.
“Waka Kotahi must also assess the affordability of the project, given significant escalation in both property and construction costs,” Andrew said.
”Waka Kotahi recognises any delay to providing final certainty on the long-term solution for State Highway 29 through Tauriko is frustrating for all.
“We are working at pace to resolve these outstanding issues and complete the business case as soon as possible.”
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