Opportunity for input on high level Auckland spatial plan

A senior Warkworth planning consultant is urging locals to get involved in development of Auckland’s spatial plan – the Auckland Plan, which will set the direction for Auckland’s growth and development for decades to come.

O’Connor Planning Consultants director Burnette O’Connor (pictured) says that although the spatial plan is a broad-based, high level document and there will be opportunity for input into more detailed local area planning documents that will be developed later, it may be hard to get traction on issues that have been left out of it.

“If things aren’t in the spatial plan it’s harder to get them in later; there won’t be any guarantees.”

Public comment is now being sought on an initial spatial plan discussion document released by Auckland Council on March 23, before a first draft is completed in June. Feedback on this will be followed by a second draft in August and formal public consultation before the final plan is adopted in December.

“Given the very short time frame to produce such an extensive document it is likely that there will be little detail in it.
However, it will be important that key features or issues are identified so that the detail may be fleshed out in local planning documents that will follow.”

To be effective, written submissions on the plan should be backed up with sufficient detailed information and evidence to explain the proposed position, she says.

The vision for the Auckland Plan as defined by the Mayor is for Auckland to be the ‘most liveable city in the world’ while the Auckland Future Vision Committee resolved that it should aim to achieve balanced socio-economic development, improve the quality of life of residents, responsibly manage the natural and physical environment (including heritage) and provide a land use plan that identifies where growth will go.