Viewpoint – Positive signs

Greetings and happy New Year to you all. What a joy it has been to see a constant stream of residents and summer visitors making use of the Mangawhai shared path and the boardwalk over the estuary. Not just using it to get from one end of Mangawhai to the other, but taking advantage of the views, fishing and relaxing on the seating. I am very much looking forward to seeing the work starting shortly on the section from the Hub to Mangawhai Central. We are getting ever closer to a completely joined up network between our two shopping centres of the village and the heads, making it easier to cycle, walk and scoot around Mangawhai.

Among the many items listed in the new coalition government’s 100-day plan was the repeal of the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act, which occurred in December in the last Parliament sitting. The government has said the second phase of the RMA work will be amending the Resource Management Act to make it easier to consent new infrastructure, including energy projects, allowing farmers to farm, build more houses, and enable aquaculture and other primary industries. I was extremely heartened to read this and welcome this new approach.

As a new council with a bold direction, we are focused on reducing red tape and making it easier for important development. Key here is our role in facilitating managed growth right throughout the district, providing accessibility and affordability via thoughtful land zoning.

We’ve already carried out a number of actions to this cause: we’ve set up a District Plan working party and an Engineering Standards working party to ensure our plans and standards are the best fit for our Kaipara communities, and to ensure our District Plan will sufficiently enable growth and development here in Kaipara.

We are also focused on improving our planning processes to enable more affordable living and vibrant communities. Staff have introduced a new building consent management system making it easier for architects, developers, builders and homeowners to apply for, and keep track of, their building consents.

Our new economic development committee has been meeting regularly, with a key focus on stimulating economic growth throughout our district.

Onwards and upwards. I am looking forward to seeing what 2024 will bring us.