Tauranga City Council owns up to poor consultation on Wairakei Landscape Plan

Residents turning out for last week's protest. Photo / File

Two Tauranga City councillors today met Pāpāmoa residents upset about council plans to create wetlands and new paths along the Wairakei stream and stormwater reserve.

At the meeting, which followed a protest on Thursday attended by 150 people, councillors Steve Morris and Leanne Brown acknowledged the council had not done a good enough job of consulting with residents.

They said the council would halt development on a section near Royal Palms until residents were properly consulted. Work on the rest of the project would continue.

Pāpāmoa resident Bruce Cortesi said the crowd responded to the news and acknowledgement with a round of applause.

Tauranga City Council councillor Steve Morris. Photo / File

"I thank them for their willingness to engage and now consult."

Browne said some people had arrived "agitated" but felt everyone left the meeting "calmer and more informed".

She said council acknowledged it did not consult properly, given notification of the project was a few years ago and residents were not given the opportunity to fully have their say through extensive consultation.

Tauranga City Council councillor Leanne Brown. Photo / File

Browne said the council failed to identify the Royal Palms section was different as residents essentially used it as their backyard.

"They know it better than anyone," she said.

Morris said it was important for the council to set the record straight that the area was "never going to be turned into a wetland".

He backed a council staff member who left the Thursday meeting after being approached by residents "in a verbally aggressive way".