Ahu Ake – Waipā Community Spatial Plan

Waipā District Council is engaged in developing a spatial plan for its community. The purpose of a spatial plan is to guide future planning and investment, help determine what it will look like in 30+ years’ time, and to map out how it will be achieved. Ahu Ake, Waipā Community Spatial Plan, will consider things like whether more walking and cycling infrastructure is needed in the district’s towns and villages, or parks and open spaces, whether the district should allow for more development in its rural spaces or intensification in its centres. It will map out how the environment will be looked after, how climate change will be tackled, how more businesses will be attracted to the district.

In the first half of 2023, the Council sought feedback on what its communities wanted the future of their towns, villages and the district to look like. More than 2000 pieces of feedback were received, via community events, surveys, social media channels, community groups, and conversations with Mana whenua and Iwi representatives and key stakeholders. In partnership with the University of Waikato, an enhanced community participatory process using world café workshops was undertaken in late 2023. The recommendations made by the randomly selected community group were presented to Elected Members and these, together with the earlier feedback received, are currently being used to refine the draft community spatial plan. A Special Consultation Procedure is to follow later this year.