The future development strategy will guide how we provide for housing and business growth

The draft strategy sets out:

• what a well-functioning urban environment means for Palmy
• iwi and hapū aspirations for urban development
• opportunities and constraints to growth
• our growth needs and where we’re proposing growth should occur
• growth-related infrastructure requirements.

The draft strategy contains a range of maps which set out the different areas where proposed growth could happen in and around the city, along with the required infrastructure to service it. The statement of proposal summarises the main opportunities for growth around the district, along with the challenges and constraints which may be faced if choosing to build there.

The draft strategy proposes a balanced approach to growing Palmy. This includes repurposing land and increasing density in some areas within the city, along with some greenfield expansion around the edges.

'Growing in’ is also proposed, by repurposing space within the city to provide more room for new housing and businesses. This could be done by allowing buildings to be built closer together, subdividing larger sections, or by rezoning some areas as a Medium Density Residential Zone, where new homes could be built closer together. This zone could also allow space within the city to be used to ‘grow up’ by allowing houses of up to 11 metres, or 3 storeys.

Part of this balanced approach includes accommodating growth by ‘growing out’ through greenfield expansion, which is the use of currently undeveloped land to enable new housing. The draft strategy includes plans for rezoning land in Aokautere to enable around 1,000 homes and at Kākātangiata on the western edge of the city to enable around 7,200 new homes.

For industrial growth, ‘growing out’ is proposed through greenfield expansion at Te Utanganui, to the northeast of the city along Railway Road (288 hectares).

The draft strategy draws on a lot of work already underway.

The government requires all local authorities to have a strategy for future development. This requirement is specified in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development, which sets out the objectives and policies for planning well-functioning urban environments.

The draft strategy has been guided by the strategic directions of both councils. It is also shaped by information from the latest housing and business needs assessment. This assesses how many homes – and how much land for business – is needed to meet demand over the next 30 years.

The proposed future development strategy incorporates areas already signalled for housing and business growth. For example:

• Kākātangiata
• Medium Density Residential Zone
• Aokautere
• Ashhurst
• Roxburgh Crescent
• Te Utanganui – Central New Zealand distribution hub
• Palmerston North Integrated Transport Initiative.

The work already done on these areas has looked into constraints on growth, including flooding, liquefaction and protecting rural land for food production.

A range of other organisations have been involved so the strategy can consider their future needs. These include:

• iwi values and aspirations for urban development
• the aims and growth needs of agencies such as the Ministry of Education, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Powerco, KiwiRail, and Kāinga Ora
• changes to the public transport network
• flood hazard risk and protection
• existing national and regional plans and strategies.