Plan unveiled to help businesses in Havelock North

Havelock North Village Green near the centre of the township. Photo / NZME

A plan has been hatched to attract more people to shops and businesses in Havelock North.

The plan would see a business improvement district (BID) set up within the township - an initiative aimed at helping attract people to local businesses.

It would essentially see property owners within a set boundary, around the centre of Havelock North, paying extra rates to Hastings District Council from the 2022/23 financial year onwards.

Those extra funds would go toward marketing and other projects to get more people into the township and boost the economy, and be run in partnership with the Havelock North Business Association Board.

Council papers stated the aim was to raise about $143,000 during the next financial year through the business improvement district.

"A BID area is supported by a targeted rate, levied on and collected from non-residential properties within the defined BID area," council papers read.

A similar model already exists for a smaller area of the township called the Havelock North Marketing Targeted Rate Area. However, it would roughly double in size under the plans.

Other areas such as Auckland CBD use a similar initiative.

The matter was discussed during a Hastings District Council committee meeting on Tuesday. Members voted to have the plans included in the council's draft annual plan for 2022/23.

Businesses in Havelock North were also polled in February to get feedback on the plans.

That poll saw about 40 per cent of eligible property owners reply of which around 80 per cent voted in favour and about 20 per cent opposed the idea.

Councillor Simon Nixon told the committee meeting on Tuesday he believed there were not enough people polled to give a clear picture of what that community wanted.

"The numbers are not convincing enough yet to persuade me it's the way to go," he said.

"I feel we don't have enough information to make a sound decision at this point."

However, the committee heard it would be included in the draft annual plan for 2022/23 which meant there would be a chance for further public consultation in the near future.

Earlier in the meeting, it was recommended a new Future Growth Unit be set up within the council to manage future development and infrastructure planning.

"The Future Growth Unit will lead and co-ordinate our planning response so that we can effectively manage for growth in the medium and long-term [in the Hastings District] while also dealing with very large volumes of building and resource consents in the here and now," committee chairman Bayden Barber said.

The new boundary proposed for a Havelock North business improvement district. Photo / Supplied