An overview of Pūtahi Park in an imagination and AI-enhanced image. Photo / WDC
An overview of Pūtahi Park in an imagination and AI-enhanced image. Photo / WDC
A potential ferry link, mixed-use developments and re-envisioned transport infrastructure are some of the features highlighted in a proposed strategy that could transform Whangārei in the next 30 years.
Artificial intelligence and imagination-enhanced images of Whangārei are included in the Draft Future Development Strategy (FDS), which proposes a strategy for the “betterment of the [Whangārei] environment and future generations”.
The Whangārei District Council is hosting drop-in sessions where community members can have their say.
The first session was at the Kamo High School library on August 14, the next will be at the Te Iwitahi civic building (Rust Ave) on August 19, and on August 22 at the Bream Bay Community Trust.
District council senior strategic planner Hamish Sykes encouraged residents to give their input. The FDS is open for comment and submission until September 2.
“We are keen to hear what the community thinks about the plans for the future of Whangārei.”
The top of Bank St in an imagination and AI-enhanced image. Photo / WDC
“The FDS and a submission form are on our website, and hard copies are available at libraries and our council offices.
“The aim of the FDS is to collectively build a plan for the kind of future the community wants, so we can plan the most efficient way to organise, expand and intensify our infrastructure to support this growth.
Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett said it was critical for Northland’s future that connectivity with Auckland and the rest of New Zealand was improved.
“Better connectivity supports both growth in economic activity, whether that be tourism or production, as well as improved social connectivity. As the region’s population grows and we face an increase in climate-related weather events, it is also important to improve the resilience of Northland’s transport, economic and social infrastructure.”
An AI-generated image of Cameron St. Photo / WDC
Sykes said in the next 30 years, 40,000 more people were set to call Whangārei home, meaning the district’s population was set to grow to 142,000.
“We need 17,000 new homes to support a range of different needs. While our communities will change over the next 30 years, we also need to build in a way that responds to future environmental changes.
“Planning ahead for the roading, wastewater, stormwater, freshwater, parks, reserves and all the services our communities need, helps to ensure the costs can be managed and the right things can happen in the right order. The FDS is Whangārei’s roadmap for where the growth should happen, and what sort of development should happen in different parts of the district.”
The FDS is a vision-led strategy about what Whangārei can become in 2054. This includes where houses, shops and industry will go, how people will get around the district, and what infrastructure decisions need to be made to ensure the community is provided for and the environment is protected.
While the FDS is Whangārei oriented, the direction of Whangārei district’s role is also an important part of the long-term prosperity for Te Tai Tokerau.
A district overview of Whangārei as outlined in the Whangārei Future Development Strategy. Image / WDC
Sykes said tangata whenua, central government agencies, infrastructure and asset owners, developers and other commercial and social sectors were involved in drafting the FDS.
“We also engaged with the wider community using print and social media.”
Whangārei District Council and Northland Regional Council are required to prepare the strategy as part of the Government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development (2020).
Beyond being a requirement, an FDS allows councils and communities to set a vision for their future, and then develop a plan for how to get there. Whangārei’s draft FDS outlines the bold vision for growth and investment in the district that will allow others to jump alongside the council in delivering the outcomes for our communities.
A part of Dent St in an imagination and AI-enhanced image. Photo / WDC
Among the proposed plans are the airport relocation, a ferry link between Parua Bay and Marsden Point and between Marsden Point and Onerahi, and improved transport and infrastructure to ready Whangārei for more severe weather events.
Leggett said it was positive that the strategy was planning for future growth and seeking to improve the transport links in and out of Northland.
“One of Whangārei’s great advantages is its proximity to Auckland. It is therefore critical for both the economic and social outcomes of Northland and its people that both the road and rail links to Auckland are made more resilient, reliable and faster.”
He said developing Whangārei had been long overdue.
“It has been disappointing that infrastructure development for the region has been so politicised over the last 10-20 years.”
This image of the Kensington shops was enhanced with imagination and AI. Photo / WDC
“Improved infrastructure for Northland will contribute to an increase in economic activity and business confidence, enabling more people and businesses to succeed while residing in the region. Importantly, it will also assist better community mobility and improve Northland’s resilience to adverse weather and natural events.”
To find out more on the FDS and how to make submissions, go to the Whangārei District Council website https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Home
Yolisa Tswanya is deputy news director at the Northern Advocate based in Whangārei.
