VIDEO - FNDC projects recognised for excellence at 2026 NZPI Awards

A project that sets out a long-term vision for the Kerikeri and Waipapa area has been recognised with two prestigious awards.

Te Pātukurea Kerikeri Waipapa Spatial Plan is a 30-year plan that creates a strategy for how the community will grow while protecting the unique environmental, cultural and social qualities of the Far North.

The collaborative vision earned national recognition at the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) awards, with Far North District Council's (FNDC) receiving the Best Practice Award for Strategic or Non-Statutory Planning, and the NZPI Supreme Award - the Nancy Northcroft Award, being the institute's supreme award for excellence in planning.

This recognition reflects the exceptional work of the FNDC Growth Planning and Placemaking team alongside key project consultants Beca and Boffa Miskell.

The awards were presented at the NZPI Annual Conference and Awards in Wellington last week.

FNDC formally adopted Te Pātukurea in June 2025 following several years of research, engagement and partnership. It sets out how the area should grow and evolve to benefit the community now and for future generations.

Developed in partnership with engineering and planning consultancy Beca, the project combined technical analysis with strong community engagement to explore how growth in the area could be managed responsibly.

Staff worked closely with a Hapū Rōpū Governance Group representing Ngāpuhi hapū, local communities and partner organisations.

Roger Ackers, who was the council's General Manager – Planning and Policy for the duration of the project said: “What makes Te Pātukurea special is the partnership and kōrero that went into it.

"Working alongside our Hapū Rōpū ensured the plan reflects local values, respects cultural and environmental taonga, and supports sustainable growth for generations to come."

Members of the rōpū worked alongside council planners, helping guide decision-making and ensuring cultural values were reflected in the outcomes. This partnership was a key reason for the spatial plan being selected for the awards.

The Hapū Rōpū Governance Group representatives include:

• Ngāti Hineira – Joanne Civil
• Ngāti Korohue – Rio Greening and Arnold Maunsell
• Ngāti Mau, and Ngāti Torehina ki Mataka – Hugh Rihari (posthumous)
• Ngāti Rēhia – Whati Rameka and Celia Witehira
• Te Uri Taniwha – Ziandra Ashby and Ricky Ashby
• Te Whiu – TeRau Arena

Another factor recognised by the judges was the rangatahi engagement undertaken at each stage of public engagement. Sessions were designed by rangatahi for rangatahi.

Highly commended

The Ngāpuhi Mana Whakahono ā Rohe and Relationship Protocol project, a partnership between FNDC and Te Runanga Ā Iwi O Ngāpuhi, was also acknowledged in the NZPI Best Practice Award in Statutory Planning category, receiving a Highly Commended distinction.

The project establishes a formal framework for engagement between the council and Ngāpuhi, supporting meaningful iwi participation in resource management and planning processes, and strengthening long-term relationships.

“This award recognises more than an agreement; it recognises a commitment to doing things differently,” says Mane Tahere, Chairman of Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-Ō-Ngāpuhi, which supported the development of the project.

“This is not the end of a process; it is the beginning of a relationship. Mana Whakahono is about honouring the past, acting in the present, and shaping a better future together.”

Watch the video below which explains the planning process around Te Pātukurea.