Growth and Development
Please note that this information was provided for the 2022 Local Government Elections and may now be out of date.
Matamata-Piako district is experiencing significant growth. We are currently processing record numbers of building and resource consents each month, and the current demand for Private Plan changes, Special Assessments and Development Agreements is unprecedented.
We have adopted the High population projections scenario as prepared by NIDEA in 2021, however the latest figures from Stats NZ show that we are already tracking ahead of the projections.
What we currently do
- We review our population projections every three years in line with the Long Term Plan. This ensures that our long term planning is based on the best available information at the time of developing our capital works program and financial forecasts.
- We undertake a rolling review of our District Plan which means we can proactively enable growth and development by identifying suitable land for residential, business and industry development.
- Our Infrastructure Strategy provides planning through to 2051 for our roads and transport networks, 3 waters, and Community Facilities.
- Infrastructure development required by growth is paid for by Development Contributions as provided for within our Development Contributions Policy.
What's on the horizon?
Challenges
- Growth rates exceeding expectation - we have had to make some changes to our capital works programme to ensure that we can provide the right infrastructure in the right place at the right time.
- Skills Shortages - The increasing pace of capital works programme required to keep up with growth is proving challenging, as it is difficult to attract and retain qualified staff and contractors (this is further discussed here)
- RMA Reform – it is proposed that spatial planning will be done at a regional level. It is not yet known how local communities can have input into these plans/strategies.
- Protecting our High Quality Soils while also providing land for future development
Opportunities
- RMA Reform –We can prepare our communities for the changes by making sure our environmental and spatial planning reflects the vision of our communities.
- Partnerships – Making our towns and settlements attractive, people friendly and accessible is mutually beneficial to private investors, community groups and council. This common goal can be the catalyst for partnerships and collaborations.
- Pro-active and strategic Planning now can enable more efficient land use and development in the future. The housing and business assessment provides the background information to inform future plan changes.
Questions to consider
- What is your vision for our District?
- How can we partner with others to enable responsible and sustainable growth for our district?
- How should growth and development be funded?
