June 29, 2005
Modena Beach Town Centre Getting Closer
The urban development of a large piece of land in Papamoa East is close to becoming a reality.
Tauranga City Council will notify a change to the District Plan in August 2005. A Community Information Day has been
organised on Saturday July 30 to provide locals an opportunity to talk with council staff about the development.
The plan change is to re-zone 420 hectares of "future urban" land in Papamoa East Part 1 (Wairakei) for residential,
business and open space development. It will also include the new town centre, Modena Beach.
Development company Bluehaven Holdings is pleased everything is running to schedule and is looking forward to the public
submission stage.
Bluehaven spokesperson Jason Macdonald says because the community has been closely involved with the development of Part
1 there is already a sense of public ownership.
"The charrette planning process held in September last year allowed all interested parties – including nearby
landowners, community groups, iwi and conservationists – to meet with our designers directly."
"As a result, we've been able to very quickly incorporate their ideas into many facets of the design of Modena."
Papamoa East Part 1 development will be the first full scale town centre in New Zealand to be designed using the Modena
Concept – a special urban design model used by US-based Duany Plater Zyberk (DPZ).
"The Modena Concept has the potential to change the way urban areas in New Zealand are designed and therefore change how
we live," Mr Macdonald says.
The concept includes rear lane entry to houses to free up street frontage and defined neighbourhood centres that
encourage cycling and walking.
"Because of DPZ's involvement, this project has already attracted a lot of attention from all around the country and
Australia. Everyone is waiting to see how this new, improved urban development concept works in Papamoa East."
DPZ designs are keenly observed. In 1989 Time Magazine named DPZ's design, for a town called Seaside in Florida, one of
the best 10 of the decade. Everything the company has been involved in since has received much international attention.
Bluehaven already have databases of potential business and home owners wanting to be part of Modena Beach.
Mr Macdonald says the public open day on July 30, 2005 from 2-5pm at Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club is an opportunity for
those interested to find out more about the residential, business and town centre development at Papamoa East.
The information day will be run by Tauranga City Council.
ENDS