25 September 2018

Shaping the change and growth coming to Porirua will be the focus of a new Porirua City Council strategy that will soon call for public comment.

Kicking off development of the Porirua Growth Strategy will be discussed by Mayor Mike Tana and city councillors at the City Direction Committee on September 27.

The current Development Framework for Porirua was adopted in 2008, but the advent of Transmission Gully Motorway, Kenepuru Landing, the proposed Adventure Park and other proposed developments, along with legislative changes, will have a big impact on the city in the coming years.

“It’s important we understand the challenges and opportunities Porirua is going to face over the next 30 years,” Acting Chairperson of the City Direction Committee Kylie Wihapi says.

She said getting input from mana whenua Ngati Toa and hearing what the public think is critical on a guiding document that will ultimately influence other work such as the District Plan Review, Long-term Plan and Infrastructure Strategy.

The community has already told us a lot about how they’d like the city to grow through the ‘Make your Mark’ District Plan conversation last year, and through their Long-term Plan submissions, so we will be building on that feedback too, she said.

“The scale of change and growth we’re going to experience is likely to be bigger than anything we’ve faced in the last 20 years, so we want to consult with our people to get this right.”

Mayor Mike Tana says the Porirua Growth Strategy recognises that the city is at a real crossroads.

“This is an exciting piece of work that will ripple through many of the decisions we make and the directions we want to take – but it is vital that our incredibly diverse communities come along with us, giving us a steer on where we should go.

“It’s an important document that will help guide and underline Porirua’s future.”

A programme of meetings with community groups will take place next month, before a four-week public consultation period from about mid-November.

Council hearings on the Porirua Growth Strategy will likely take place in February, with the final document adopted by the Council in late February or early March.

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