Latest news with #StrategyandPolicyCommittee
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Community Input Helps Shape Final Māpua Masterplan
After nearly two years of extensive community engagement, Tasman District Council's Strategy and Policy Committee has approved the Māpua Masterplan and Māpua Catchment Management Plan for formal adoption. The Mayor and Councillors voted 12–1 in favour at the deliberations hearing held on Thursday, 5 June at the Council Chambers in Richmond. Formal adoption by the full Council is expected on 31 July 2025. This approval marks a major milestone and reflects the valuable contributions made by the Māpua and Ruby Bay communities throughout the process. Community feedback played a key role in shaping the final plan — from public meetings and surveys to written submissions, a wide range of ideas and perspectives were considered. While we recognise the plan may not satisfy everyone, we believe it represents a balanced approach that meets future growth needs while honouring community aspirations. Key outcomes in the Masterplan include: Securing Kite Park's future as a recreational area Preserving the cultural heritage of Grossi Point Supporting diverse housing options to accommodate future residents Enhancing recreational linkages while protecting natural habitats Community support for housing diversity was especially clear in feedback and is reflected in the final plan. Although the Masterplan is a long-term guide, we are preparing to implement key actions, including initiating a change to the Tasman Resource Management Plan in August 2025. This will involve collaboration with landowners and completing a heritage assessment of Grossi Point. We will continue to provide regular updates as implementation progresses. Thank you to everyone in the Māpua and Ruby Bay communities for your engagement, patience, and ideas — your input has helped shape a plan that reflects both community values and future needs.
Scoop
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Council Submission Raises Concerns Over Losses In Water Quality
A Waikato Regional Council submission has raised concerns of potential losses in water quality in the region. The council's submission is in response to proposed wastewater environmental performance standards stemming from the Local Government (Water Services) Bill. Taumata Arowai is consulting on the initial wastewater standards which regional councils will be required to implement through resource consent conditions, without making them stricter or more lenient, councillors heard at the April meeting of the Strategy and Policy Committee. The council's submission advised that while the proposed standards are expected to enhance environmental outcomes and improve efficiencies, they conflict with current council initiatives to improve water quality. Committee chair Warren Maher said the council has been systematically strengthening the limits of resource consents over time to improve water quality across the region in collaboration with territorial authorities. 'Many of the existing municipal wastewater discharges have one or multiple contaminant standards in their existing consents or current applications which are stricter than what the proposed standards would require. 'Implementing these standards as they are would significantly undermine the substantial efforts and investments made by territorial authorities, which have been actively supported by our council, in upgrading wastewater treatment plant discharges,' said Cr Maher. 'If the government decides to progress the standards, then they should at least enable the council to maintain current discharge quality levels. If not, then water quality across the region could deteriorate and the percentage of waterways experiencing significant adverse effects may worsen.' Councillors also expressed their concerns regarding the proposal to grant new resource consents a 35-year timeframe. 'As a regulator, the council must be able to carry out a case-by-case assessment that considers localised effects and specific merits of an application to determine the appropriate duration of a resource consent,' said Cr Maher. 'Applying a blanket 35-year approach will not adequately account for future changes in environmental conditions, community needs and technology advancements.' The proposed wastewater environmental performance standards are expected to be set by late 2025 following enactment of the Local Government (Water Services) Bill. The report on the council's submission along with a recording of the Strategy and Policy Committee meeting can be viewed at
