Growth Management Strategy for Waitakere

Waitakere's population is growing quickly and this trend is not expected to change over the next 50 years. A significant proportion of Waitakere's workforce currently leaves Waitakere each day for work, a situation that could be exacerbated by expected population growth. A number of key growth issues are identified including:

• Projected growth
• Land Constraints
• Business land shortage
• Social Infrastructure
• Climate Change
• Transport
• Energy and ICT
• Three waters

The Growth Management Strategy for Waitakere provides a framework for addressing these growth issues and accommodating projected population increases whilst also maximising local employment opportunities in a way that ensures that Waitakere remains a great place to work, live and play well into the future.

This strategy is intended to provide a broad framework within which individuals, businesses and the public sector (including the council) can make more informed and better coordinated decisions in relation to the many decisions they make, whether that is in relation to the home they buy, the existing and future business opportunities available, or the infrastructure that is installed.

The key growth management principles encompassed within the strategy are:

• The majority of growth will be located within the existing urban area. (urban containment)
• The majority of urban growth will be located around existing town centres and transport nodes (land-use and transport integration)
• growth and its effects will be managed by promoting quality, compact urban environments (intensification).
• development outside current urban limits only taking place where environmental, accessibility and community principles can be met (principled expansion).
• Most urban growth should be focused around town centres and major transport routes to create higher density communities, with a variety of housing, jobs, services, recreational and other activities (mixed use).
• Much less emphasis on general infill throughout suburban areas (suburban stability).
• Development of the most highly valued and sensitive natural areas is avoided (in particular the Waitakere Ranges).
• Major new employment areas will develop in the north of the city.

The strategy is 'spatial' in that it seeks to influence the location, scale, nature and timing of growth across Waitakere. It contains a Growth Concept map showing the locations of key growth areas, and a City Growth Schedule illustrating the timing of detailed concept planning and development of these areas.

It is important to note that the Strategy will not directly determine the future of a given area - it does provide the overall strategic framework and spatial pattern and timing, as well as setting key targets for achievement. However, it is the consultative Concept Planning process undertaken with the community of the area, stakeholders, social and physical infrastructure providers, and the Council, that will determine how a particular area will develop and evolve into the future.

Following from the Concept Plan, which will set the vision for the area, changes as required will be made to the District Plan, council's activity plans and the 10 year plan  to ensure the vision is enabled, serviced and funded. Social and physical infrastructure provision will be also aligned and provided as required based on the direction indicated by the Concept Plan, in accordance with the Social Infrastructure Framework.

Areas that have been, or are in the process of being 'concept planned' include:

• New Lynn
• Ranui
• Te Atatu Peninsula
• Massey North/Westgate
• Hobsonville Airbase
• Hobsonville Village Centre

Other areas will be concept planned in accordance with the City Growth Schedule.

The Growth Management Strategy is reflective of and gives effect to key Local and Regional Policies and Strategies in particular:

• The Auckland Regional Growth Strategy
• The Northern and Western Sectors Agreement
  
• Auckland Regional Policy Statement and in particular, the direction indicated in Regional Policy Statement Change 6
• The Auckland Sustainability Framework
  
• One Plan

It has also been developed as part of an integrated package of six strategies to deliver on the Council's strategic direction and the community outcomes.

The assumptions and principles illustrated in the Growth Management Strategy have also guided the development of the 10 year plan and activity plans; as well as development contributions and financial contributions policies though a growth modelling process which reflected, as a key assumption, the spatial and temporal outcomes of the successful implementation of the Growth Management Strategy.

Documents

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City Growth Schedule (Size 36K)

Growth Concept Map (Size 140K)

Social Infrastructure Framework (Size 1257K)

Growth Modelling Process (Size 375K)

Growth Management Strategy for Waitakere (June 2009)

• Part I concentrates on the strategic context for managing growth, and on citywide and regional issues.
• Part II looks in more detail at what form growth could take and provides more detailed growth area profiles for the identified growth areas across Waitakere including a past 'potted history'; a present description and demographic profiles from the 2006 Census; and future growth expectations.

This structure has been developed so that those who are interested in citywide issues can focus on Part I, while those interested in a specific area including how development may occur in the future can focus on Part II.

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these documents.  For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Due to the size of the document, it has been divided into sections to allow download time to be reduced. A full version of the document is also available to be downloaded.