Te Pātukurea
Kerikeri Waipapa Spatial Plan

We're creating a plan for the future of Kerikeri-Waipapa, Te Pātukurea, which will shape how these areas grow and develop over the next 30+ years.

The plan will influence:

• The look and feel of our communities

• Where and how we live

• How we get around

• Where we work

• How we protect and care for our environment

Right now, Te Pātukurea is in a draft phase. We need your feedback to make sure we’ve got it right before we can finalise it and present it to Council for adoption.

No, the current version of Te Pātukurea is a draft only. It has been developed using the feedback you provided in 2024 about what is important for the future of Kerikeri and Waipapa. We are coming back to you know to make sure we’ve got it right and the plan reflects the aspirations of the community.

We’ll take the submissions you provide on the draft spatial plan and use it to make any changes needed to the plan before finalising it.

Once it is finalised, the plan will be presented to Council for adoption in mid-2025.

In 2024, we shared six growth scenarios with you which considered what the future could look like for Kerikeri and Waipapa. We asked you to tell us which scenario you preferred and why, and what an ideal future for Kerikeri and Waipapa looked like to you.

In total, we received 771 pieces of feedback including:

• 187 online survey responses

• 176 comments on the interactive have-your-say scenario mapping tool

• 16 hard-copy surveys

• 208 comments / responses via social media

• 17 letter submissions via email

• 88 post-it notes on growth scenario maps at events

• 95 people included in rangatahi engagement sessions

A big thank you to everyone who provided their feedback.

In 2022, in partnership with Te Pātukurea Hapū Rōpū, and in consultation with partners, stakeholders and community groups, we began the development of the Te Pātukurea. This started with the development of a vision, emerging themes and aspirations as well as initial scenario-testing.

Then, in 2023, we went out to the community to test these themes and aspirations to understand if we've got them right and to check if we've missed anything. We also reviewed submissions to the Proposed District Plan. The original submission period for the Proposed District Plan was in 2022 and further submissions in 2023.

Using this feedback and underpinning it with evidence, in 2024, we developed several growth options which tested different possible futures for Kerikeri-Waipapa. This feedback has been used to shape the draft spatial plan and we are now looking to get your input again so we can make sure we’ve got the plan for our future right.

We’ll use your feedback from this final round of engagement to update and finalise the spatial plan before it is presented to Council in mid-2025 for adoption.

Under the current consultation (Special Consultative Procedure) on the draft spatial plan, each submission is counted once, whether it represents an individual or a group. This ensures fairness and avoids giving groups more weight than individuals. However, Elected Members have the opportunity to read and consider all submissions and may choose to consider who made a submission when weighing feedback.

Survey questions for the draft spatial plan have been developed in consultation with internal and external communications and planning experts. These questions are designed to gather community input to refine:

• Areas identified for future growth

• Urban design principles

• Implementation priorities

We are currently seeking feedback on the draft spatial plan, and welcome suggestions for changes. All submissions will be presented to Elected Members to help inform the final version of the plan.

The final spatial plan, if adopted, and any implementation plan will be updated to reflect any amendments made as a result of consultation. Where appropriate, some actions may be brought forward ahead of the currently proposed timeframes.

Ongoing Community Engagement & Consultation

Te Pātukurea’s draft implementation plan identifies additional planning tools needed to deliver the draft spatial plan’s objectives, including:

• Waipapa Structure Plan (2025–26)

• Urban Design Framework (2026)

• Waipapa Neighbourhood Plan (2026)

• Kerikeri Structure Plan (2027)

• Kerikeri Neighbourhood Plan (2029–35)

Each of these projects will have its own communications and engagement strategy developed prior to commencement. The community and stakeholders will be engaged as part of each of these future planning projects.

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholders have been actively involved throughout the project. A stakeholder mapping exercise was completed at the outset to identify:

• Individuals or groups with high interest or influence (e.g. developers, community groups, government agencies)

• Those directly affected by the plan

The development sector was specifically engaged through:

• Two workshops on the spatial plan

• A separate workshop to inform the Housing and Business Capacity Assessment (HBA)

Voluntary Alignment with National Policy

Although Council is not a Tier 1 or Tier 2 council and is not required to prepare a Future Development Strategy under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), we have voluntarily followed its guidance and taken an evidence-based approach to long-term growth planning.

Participation Rates and Feedback

Public consultation on the growth scenarios in November 2024 resulted in 187 completed surveys, a 1.3% response rate. For comparison:

• Councils most recent Long Term Plan consultation had a 0.7% response rate (506 submissions)

• The Auckland Future Development Strategy received 10,083 responses — about 0.6% of Auckland’s 1.7 million population

The consultation period for Te Pātukurea runs until 22 April 2025. We encourage everyone to have their say — all feedback matters and helps shape a plan that reflects the community’s needs and aspirations.

Public Transport and Reducing Car Dependence

Introducing public transport to Kerikeri-Waipapa will depend on factors like demand, cost-effectiveness, and existing alternatives such as ride-sharing. Best practice shows that compact urban areas make public transport more viable and efficient—something Te Pātukurea aims to support.

Compact development also encourages walking and cycling, making active transport a realistic option for many. Growth scenarios that located housing near jobs and major roads scored highest in our assessments, as they are best suited for efficient public transport. Scenarios with more spread-out development were less favourable.

Road Network and Traffic Management

There is concern about whether the current road network can handle future growth. Transport modelling shows that Kerikeri-Waipapa’s roads can cope with projected demand through to 2032, with travel time increases of one minute or less during peak hours. Most intersections are expected to have sufficient capacity.

To support network resilience, the draft spatial plan outlines a long-term vision for transport improvements, including new connections, upgraded roundabouts, and improved road links to improve traffic flow and dispersal. While exact routes aren’t finalised yet, these would be detailed in future structure planning. The CBD bypass project is underway to improve traffic flow through central Kerikeri and a connection between Mill Lane and Hall Road is being planned.

Focusing development around existing centres and walkable areas supports reduced car use, encourages active transport, and strengthens the case for public transport in future.

New Developments and Network Impact

Approval of large-scale developments will inevitably add to traffic volumes. While this has been considered in our modelling, developers will still be required to submit traffic impact assessments to show how their projects will affect the network and what mitigation may be needed.  For further information see Te Pātukurea – Statement of Proposal.

Te Pātukurea identifies the need for significant infrastructure upgrades, including:

• Improvements to the transport network

• Upgrades to three waters infrastructure (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater)

• Ongoing road maintenance and renewals

Specific details are available here – Te Pātukurea - Statement of Proposal.

Planned transport improvements focus on:

• Supporting future public transport options

• Expanding cycling infrastructure

• Enhancing connectivity to reduce traffic congestion and serve a growing population

• Enhanced blue-green networks including riverside walking tracks

The goal is to create a balanced and sustainable transport system that meets the needs of current and future residents.

Te Pātukurea has allowed for additional land to accommodate new community facilities such as parks, recreational areas, community centres. As areas within the spatial plan are developed or re-developed, provision will be made for community facilities, however providing these facilities ultimately depends on the pace of growth and change.  The draft spatial plan also includes adequate provision for social infrastructure, such as healthcare and education facilities by ensuring sufficient land area is included.

It is important to note that the projects and initiatives identified in this plan are unfunded at this stage.

Delivering Te Pātukurea: Implementation and Timing

At this stage, these projects are not yet funded. Delivering the spatial plan will require collaboration between Council, central government, the private sector, community organisations, and other partners. Some initiatives may be led by private developers, while others will be planned and delivered by Council.

To guide the delivery of Te Pātukurea, Council has prepared an implementation plan (see Te Pātukurea – Statement of Proposal). This outlines the key actions required over the short, medium, and long term to bring the plan to life.

While costs (at a broad scale) were considered when selecting preferred growth options, timeframes were not directly part of the evaluation, as the pace of growth depends on external factors beyond Council’s control. That said, the implementation plan includes indicative timing. In practice, development in existing urban areas often happens sooner, as it's typically easier to provide the necessary infrastructure.

Planning Across Multiple Landowners

Growth across areas with multiple landowners is coordinated through structure planning. This process identifies how much development is expected and plans for the infrastructure—both new and upgraded—needed to support it over time. The draft implementation plan (see Te Pātukurea – Statement of Proposal)https://www.fndc.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/39352/0899_TPKWSP_Feb-2025_DOC_DIGI_180px-2-1.pdf, outlines the next steps for structure and infrastructure planning that would be followed if the draft spatial plan is adopted.

Waipapa Infrastructure

Growth in Waipapa under the draft spatial plan is planned at a scale that would balance efficient land use with affordable infrastructure. But development would be limited without the necessary infrastructure. The draft implementation plan guides future infrastructure investment, considering both public and private funding options.

At a high level, the draft spatial plan assesses whether to expand the existing wastewater system or build a standalone facility for Waipapa. It recommends a modular wastewater treatment plant that can grow with demand. Any new plant would require regional consent and be subject to a rigorous review process. Final decisions on wastewater management would follow should the draft spatial plan be adopted.

All growth scenarios were assessed assuming connection to a public wastewater system.  When considering scenarios, infrastructure cost was evaluated on providing a reticulated network to each location.

One possible wastewater management approach is extending a wastewater pipeline from Waipapa to Kerikeri.  Doing this does not imply support for ribbon development. Any future pipeline’s location is uncertain, and any future connections to it will depend on zoning. A key aim of the draft spatial plan is to prevent fragmented growth that increases infrastructure costs and undermines compact urban form, which is essential for supporting affordable housing.

Flood Mitigation

There is currently not enough certainty around proposed flood mitigation, water storage, or hydro-generation projects to include them in the draft spatial plan. However, the plan, if adopted, will be regularly reviewed and updated if major infrastructure changes, such as flood control or dam projects by Northland Regional Council (NRC), proceed.

NRC is leading a flood mitigation assessment for Waipapa, with an independent review underway, but no timeline has been given. Updated NRC flood maps are also pending and will inform future updates to any spatial and implementation plans adopted.

A precautionary approach has been taken—such as avoiding residential development in flood-prone areas. The draft implementation plan includes actions for Council to work with NRC on flood control and coordinate with other infrastructure providers to support the plan’s goals.

Currently, only 1-in-100-year flood events are modelled. If more data becomes available, it would guide future updates to the spatial plan, infrastructure business cases, structure plans, and plan changes. Stormwater modelling will also be included in an upcoming catchment management plan for Kerikeri and Waipapa.