Local Growth Strategy vs Spatial Plan
Council is working with regional partners to finalise the Our Places: Eastern Bay Spatial Plan — a shared regional view of future development challenges, opportunities, and likely growth areas over the next 30+ years.
The Spatial Plan looks at how housing, infrastructure, transport, community needs, and the environment need to be planned for the future. It’s initially focusing on Whakatāne, Kawerau, Ōpōtiki, rural settlements, and the Rangitāiki Plains, where housing and business growth pressures are strongest. Iwi, hapū and whanau values, aspirations, and priorities have been woven throughout the plan.
Preparing the Spatial Plan has involved a range of technical work and extensive engagement with iwi/hapū, stakeholders, and the community. It tells a regional story of growth and change — and will guide Council’s work, influence regional and central government processes (such as regional deals and the Regional Infrastructure Fund), and shape future projects with our partners.
So, why a Local Growth Strategy?
Alongside the regional work, each council is preparing its own local growth plan, with further local engagement.
For the Whakatāne District, this will be the Whakatāne District Local Growth Strategy, which will:
- Complement the direction set in the regional Spatial Plan, but work at a more local scale.
- Cover both spatial (land use) and non-spatial (e.g. climate change community resilience, community wellbeing) considerations.
- Build on technical work and community engagement already completed for other plans, such as the Long Term Plan, Climate Change Strategy and risk assessments.
- Draw on similar local approaches developed in other parts of New Zealand, such as Waikato District, Horowhenua District and Porirua City.
Why it matters
Having a clear local growth strategy will:
- Give the community, iwi/hapū, developers, investors, and central government greater certainty about how we plan for growth.
- Help create more local employment opportunities and increase housing supply.
- Support district-wide wellbeing and environmental outcomes.
- Build developer confidence to invest in new residential and commercial development.