Planner's wish-list to rein in peninsula development

This is the final in a week-long Herald series on the effect of rapid development on the Coromandel, a treasured beauty spot but a place that faces an uncertain future.

In another decade, towns such as Whitianga and Tairua are likely to be unrecognisable from the sleepy villages of 20 or even 10 years ago.

Even with 40 per cent of the 230,000ha peninsula in Department of Conservation hands, there is no guarantee that it will withstand the next property boom: the next migration of retirees to its seaside villages and quiet, green valleys.

Thames environmental planner Graeme Lawrence says the challenge for local politicians, ratepayer groups, conservationists, developers and landowners is to agree where houses, apartments and hotels should be built.

Mr Lawrence, who has been involved in dozens of planning battles over the past 25 years, has a wish-list of three changes for the sake of the peninsula's welfare:

* Amending the Resource Management Act, away from a focus on the effects of a specific development to looking at the big picture.

"The RMA is beggared by the detail. Local authorities have to be allowed to deal with cumulative effects," he said.

* Changes of leadership and organisation at the Thames Coromandel District Council, which "needs to lift its game. This is a critical election."

The good news was that staffing levels at the council were rising and the era of highly paid consultants seemed to be ending, he said.

The council was also beginning to listen once again to its communities.

* A move away from both the give-no-ground environmentalism of the past and the pro-development culture of the present.

Coromandel's towns, creaking under the pressure of the seasonal influx of holidaymakers, with overloaded sewerage and water shortages, must not repeat the mistakes of Auckland and Hamilton, Mr Lawrence said.

High-rise apartments and resorts must not be allowed to gobble up the waterfront of towns such as Whitianga.

"The council has to toughen up and the community has to learn that if they don't continue to be involved, things will go awry. Landowners and developers have expectations that don't always fall into line with community objectives."

Stories in this series

Saturday: Paying for nature.

Monday: Overloaded infrastructure.

Tuesday: Soaring property prices.

Wednesday: Development boom.

Thursday: Thames v Tairua.