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Public consultation on the draft Mangawhai Community Plan opens next week, with views being sought by Kaipara District Council online, via feedback forms and at two special open days.
Local residents can view the draft plan and its proposed recommendations at the Mangawhai Club in Molesworth Drive on the next two Saturdays, September 30 and October 7, with presentations starting at 2pm sharp.
The plan can also be viewed at kaipara.govt.nz and feedback submitted online or via feedback forms from Tuesday, September 26 until Wednesday, October 11.
The draft Mangawhai plan is the culmination of several years’ work by Council and, more recently, by its specially-appointed Community Advisory Panel.
Panel chair Belinda Vernon says what was originally a town plan has morphed into a wider community plan with the aim of addressing and managing future growth and development for the benefit of the whole area.
After public consultation, the panel’s main recommendations centre on improving connectivity, especially between the village and the heads, for safe walking and cycling; identifying ‘slow streets’; developing a range of different housing options; ensuring an environmentally sustainable approach to stormwater management; and generally protecting Mangawhai’s coastal character.
“We have formed our recommendations, but it’s Council that’s actually pulling together the community plan,” Belinda says. “We’re really pleased that they have taken on board the main thrust of our suggestions. We want a community that’s easy to get around and coping with growth. The underpinning thing was that whatever happens, we need to protect the harbour, because that’s the jewel in our crown.”
It is hoped the final Mangawhai Community Plan will be adopted by the end of the year.
