MEDIA RELEASE
SmartGrowth put to final test
For immediate release: Friday 23 September 2005
The practical realities of SmartGrowth will soon be put to the public test.
Tauranga and western Bay of Plenty residents have already made it clear they support SmartGrowth, a strategy for
managing growth in the area over the next 50 years. Now they will be formally asked whether they are willing to pin the
strategy’s concepts down in law.
At a council meeting yesterday (Thursday), Environment Bay of Plenty put the final stamp on a proposal to change its
paramount planning document, the Regional Policy Statement, to reflect SmartGrowth’s vision. Next week, it will publicly
notify the proposed change so people and groups can make submissions on it.
The change involves adding a new chapter, called Growth Management, to the Regional Policy Statement. One of the more
controversial aspects is a set of high-level map setting future limits for urban growth. The regional council has the
full support of its local authority partners, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council, for the
changes.
Environment Bay of Plenty chairman John Cronin says that, because the document is a regulatory tool, the inclusion of
SmartGrowth concepts will bind territorial authorities to them. “It really is the crunch time now. We received a lot of
feedback from our earlier period of more informal consultation, and we made a number of alterations from that. Now, we
are taking the final draft through into the formal phase.”
Environment Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council signed off the SmartGrowth
strategy last year. Since then, an implementation committee, which includes council and tangata whenua representatives,
has met regularly to ensure it does not lose momentum, Mr Cronin says.
“This has been a huge endeavour and we are proud to be part of it. It will shape the future of the sub-region – and make
a real difference to the people living here.”
For more information, call 0800 ENV BOP (368 267) or go to www.envbop.govt.nz and click “in consultation”. Submissions
open on Tuesday 27 September and close on Friday 11 November. Copies of the proposed change are available from
Environment Bay of Plenty offices in Rotorua, Mount Maunganui and Whakatane, from district and city council offices, and
in libraries.
ENDS