Date set for Hamilton boundary changes

Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council have announced 31 May 2011 as the date that changes to Hamilton’s east and northwest boundaries will take effect, bringing around 120 former Waikato District homes and businesses inside Hamilton’s new city limits.

A joint committee of councillors from Hamilton and Waikato District considered submissions to four draft boundary re-organisation schemes and recently adopted them. The date of 31 May 2011 has been set for the actual transfer of the land in order to accommodate the work required by Waikato District Council for its much larger scale boundary changes with the Auckland super-city.

Chair of the joint committee and Waikato District Deputy Mayor, Clint Baddeley, says “The changes are a logical reorganisation of Hamilton’s boundaries which aim not only to protect our most productive farmland but also allow the type of long-term planning so that will ensure the city can get good outcomes as it grows in the future.”

Five areas of land currently in the Waikato District will become part of Hamilton as part of next year’s boundary changes:

* Over 700 hectares of mainly agricultural land in Ruakura, which also includes Innovation Park and Ag Research Ruakura Campus. This area stretches from Greenhill Road in the north to the Mangaonua Gully in the south and bounded in the east by the designation for the Waikato Expressway.
* A ‘sliver’ of land between the yet to be constructed Waikato Expressway and Borman Road.
* Three pieces of land which make up the area known as Te Rapa North, bounded by Horotiu in the north, the Waikato River to the east, the confirmed route for the Te Rapa bypass in the west, and the current city boundary at Ruffell Road to the south.

The Hamilton Urban Growth Strategy identifies that the Ruakura land will serve primarily as an employment area. It is envisioned the land at Te Rapa North will be used primarily for long-term future industrial development.

Detailed consideration of future land use of the areas coming into the city will be undertaken as part of Fast Forward – Hamilton’s District Plan Review

The changes will see the boundaries of both councils align naturally with the paths of the Waikato Expressway and the Ngaruawahia and Te Rapa bypasses.

“Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council are already working closely to transfer residents over relatively seamlessly and minimise any disruptions felt by affected residents and businesses,” says Mr Baddeley.

An information pack will be sent to affected residents and businesses between February and March 2011.