Council adopts Kerikeri-Waipapa Structure Plan

A direction has been set for the future development of Kerikeri-Waipapa following the Far North District Council’s recent adoption of the area’s structure plan.


As a significant milestone, council has adopted the plan after almost a year of public meetings, focus groups, media statements and publications designed to present planning options to the communities and encourage them to have a say in their future.


The council recently called for submissions to the structure plan, which is relatively prescriptive and seeks to take a greater lead in directing growth and land use patterns for the integrated and sustained development of Kerikeri-Waipapa.


There were 362 submissions received, making 1108 individual points. Some 137 submitters also took the opportunity to put their points directly to councillors during four days of hearings on the plan.


Mayor Yvonne Sharp said most submitters had gone to a lot of trouble to provide the council with detailed feedback. “This was invaluable to the council during the finalisation of the plan,” she said. “They are to be commended for all the hours of work they have done in participating in the process.


“The council is now responding individually to everyone who made a submission, giving each one the attention it warrants. We are trying to get back to people as soon as we can, but given the volume and technical nature of some of the submissions we want to make sure we are responding with the level of detail they deserve.”


Most submissions to the plan were received from people and organisations concerned that it could lead to zone changes that would not be advantageous to their properties.


“We were able to reassure these people that the structure plan is a high level direction-setting document that proposes a number of studies, work and changes to take the communities in an agreed direction,” said Sustainable Environment Manager Phillip Grimshaw.


“None of the policy areas proposed in the plan can be implemented without a District Plan change, requiring public notification and further consultation that could span a number of years.”



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Another main area of concern for submitters was the proposed Kerikeri-SH10 link. The proposed road would seek to divert industrial and heavy traffic away from the Kerikeri CBD. This would require extensive planning and consultation, which could push construction out to at least 10 years away. The council was not intending to use any existing urban residential streets for the link road at this early stage.


A proposed green belt policy area was removed from the plan because of opposition from submitters. It was decided that voluntary programmes with landowners would be preferable.


The next step in the structure plan process is to get together all the data required to support processes that could lead to changes or new information in documents such as the District Plan, the council’s activity management plans and the Far North Future Plan and council policies and guidelines.


A number of these processes will require formal consultation with all affected parties, including submissions and hearings, while the others will incorporate consultative procedures.


“We have reached a first milestone in developing the structure plan and now we have a great deal of work ahead of us in terms of giving life to its provisions through policies and regulation,” Mr Grimshaw said.


“We look forward to working alongside Kerikeri-Waipapa residents to put in place whatever mechanisms are necessary to provide for the integrated and sustainable development of Kerikeri - Waipapa while reflecting the communities’ vision and aspirations for the future.”