Work is underway on a refreshed growth strategy for the Kāpiti Coast to plan for an estimated 30,000 new residents over the next 30 years, significantly higher growth than previous forecasts.

Kāpiti Coast District Council’s existing strategy for growth, the Development Management Strategy, is now outdated, relies on underlying assumptions that have either come to pass or no longer hold true, and fails to capture emerging challenges and opportunities.

“Kāpiti has experienced significant growth over the last few decades and our latest forecasts estimate we need to plan for approximately 30,000 new residents over the next three decades - the equivalent of the populations of Raumati and Paraparaumu combined,” says Mayor K Gurunathan.

“Our refreshed growth strategy will provide a broad framework for how we do this by identifying locations for future growth across the district, options for housing density, and the timing and sequencing of providing for and initiating development.

“Preparing for growth is about more than just freeing up land though – we need to plan together, as a community, for things like protecting our environment, how we move around the district, the infrastructure required, what our open spaces look like and how we preserve the things that make Kāpiti a great place to call home.”

Work is now underway on developing the refreshed strategy, including principles to guide future growth and scenarios for what future growth may look like ahead of discussions with the community and formal consultation in July.

“Growth is not a new concept or challenge for us here in Kāpiti and it’s one of the driving themes of our draft Long-term Plan 2021-41 which we begin consulting on this week,” says Natasha Tod, Group Manager Strategy, Growth & Recovery.

“We will continue to attract new residents and this piece of work is about ensuring we are managing our growth in ways that achieve strong communities, a thriving environment and a vibrant economy.

“This will then inform how we shape the development of land and housing, and manage activities across our town centres, and in urban, rural and business areas, to best support the district’s current and future housing, business and lifestyle needs.”

Read more about the refreshed strategy for growth here.

Have your say on the draft Wellington Regional Growth Framework

Consultation on the draft Wellington Regional Growth Framework, the product of 18 months of collaboration between central and local governments and mana whenua, has begun throughout the Wellington region and the Horowhenua.

The Framework is a long-term vision for how the region will grow to accommodate an additional 200,000 people over the next 30+ years. Working in partnership as a region allowed for consideration of factors beyond district boundary lines to create a holistic picture of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Kāpiti Coast Councillors voted to endorse the draft Framework for consultation, together with other elected representatives from across the Wellington region, in December last year.

Council’s refreshed growth strategy will consider and build on the final Framework by providing further detail for how Kāpiti plans to manage its future growth through intensification and greenfield development.

In Kāpiti, the Framework identifies two new study areas to investigate the potential for future residential development – south of Waikanae and in the broader Te Horo and Peka Peka areas.

It also focuses on increasing the density of residential development around transport hubs and applying the National Policy Statement on Urban Development objectives to remove barriers to the supply of land and infrastructure, and make room to grow up and out.

Consultation closes on Monday 10 May 2021. Have your say here.

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