Tauranga residents have chance to have their say on city's long-term future

Cargo ships docked into Tauranga Harbour Port waiting for the adjacent container cranes to load. Mount Maunganui in the background.

Residents in Tauranga will this week be able to have their say on the city’s draft long term plan, outlining the future for the next 10 years.

In a council meeting on Tuesday, the four commissioners tasked with building a better city adopted its draft long term plan.

Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said she’s very keen to hear from the community including "the good, the bad, and the ugly" and says all lines of communication are open.

She thanked the former mayor and councillors for their work, and praised her fellow commissioners and staff for the draft plan, and the work covered in the last three months, following the commissioners taking office.

This draft is the 51st iteration, but all commissioners agreed it’s the right way forward for "Tauranga to become one of the great cities of New Zealand".

The proposed long term plan has number of investment priorities over the next 10 years.

This includes a $2.5 billion spend for land for homes and businesses, nearly $2 billion for transport, and $672 million for community spaces and places.

Under the proposed draft plan residential ratepayers will see an average increase of $1 per day, while commercial ratepayers will have an increase between $16 to $65 per week.

Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett were sued by Winston Peters, along with MSD and civil servants, over the leak of details about his superannuation payments.

The draft plan proposes a targeted rates structure for stormwater, transport and community facilities – ring-fencing the money collected to be invested in the three areas.

Tolley said the investments in this long term plan "are by far the most significant in Tauranga’s recent history".

"They aim to meet the needs of our growing population while also creating a better city for the people who live here now," she said.

From Friday residents will be able to have the say on the proposed draft plan.

SHARE ME

More Stories