Council publishes growth strategy for next 30 years

Kāpiti Coast District Council has published its growth strategy, Te Tupu Pai – Growing Well. It provides a vision and road map for how the district will grow sustainably over the next 30 years through encouraging well-planned development in the district.

“Kāpiti’s population is expected to grow by more than 56 percent within 30 years – that’s another 32,000 people by 2051,” Mayor K Gurunathan says. “We have adopted a strategy that carefully considers where and how we should grow so that we protect and improve the things we value about our natural and built environments.”

The strategy will see both intensification and ‘greenfields development’ (new suburbs) over time. It will also help the Council to plan for infrastructure and services to areas where growth will happen.

A key focus is on improving resilience to climate change and encouraging low-carbon living, Mayor Gurunathan said.

“We want to ‘grow well’ to reflect the things we value about our district, while accommodating central government direction on intensification and a local need to improve the housing supply.”

The growth strategy provides an important foundation for the upcoming consultation on draft changes to the District Plan which begins next week, Mayor Gurunathan said.

“New government requirements mean we have to make some changes to the District Plan, which is our rulebook for urban development and land use. These changes must enable more medium density housing in residential zones, and higher building developments in the metropolitan, town, and local centres across the district as well as around the railway stations south of Ōtaki.

“Te Tupu Pai – Growing Well provides the blueprint for how our communities can grow sustainably while meeting these requirements of government.”

Consultation on the draft intensification plan change (also called Plan Change 2) opens on Monday 4 April. From then you can read the draft and find out where to have your say at kapiticoast.govt.nz/district-plan until 5pm Monday 2 May.

Copies of the growth strategy are available on the Council website at kapiticoast.govt.nz/council-strategies. Reference copies will be available to view in the libraries and service centres. Progress implementing the growth strategy will be reported on the Council website.