A collaborative approach was taken to create the plan, including regular testing and engagement opportunities. Through the Plan’s conception, we collaborated with development stakeholders and Council staff to establish the objectives and direction. The Boffa Miskell team developed a series of scenarios used to test growth options with the public and find one that met the needs and aspirations of most. Iwi representatives were consulted at each step and contributed to the development of the objectives.
This Plan development process has resulted in two key spatial plans: one for the Town Centre area, and one for the broader Richmond area. A series of key moves are provided which set the direction for an Action Plan that will enable Council to realise the goals of the Plan.
The objectives of the Plan were formulated collaboratively with key stakeholders to ensure all aspects of growth were considered at a wider scale, these covered:
- Mana Whenua
- Housing
- Centres and Community Heart
- Movement
- Identity
- Green and Blue Infrastructure
- Responses to Hazards and Climate Change
At the Town Centre scale, a series of six key moves were identified to help transform the Town Centre into a community heart that will better support the anticipated growth, including greening the street, identifying strategic development sites and celebrating the hidden stream network.
We wanted to ensure the engagement opportunities reached a wide audience. We utilised multiple methods to ensure residents got to have their say, acknowledging Richmond's ageing population. These included a temporary activation in the Library and Service Centre, online social pin-point and a two-day pop-up in an unoccupied storefront on the main shopping street. While there was a range of feedback, as can be expected with proposed change, it was great to be able to have confidence that most residents wanted to see more housing options available. This helped to support elected members in backing the project, as well as inform our planning process and find out where the concerns lay which would feed into the finer details down the track.
Our GIS specialists used ArcGIS Urban to provide modelling that explored possible height limits within the Spatial Plan zones we were proposing. This was to help both elected members and the public understand the impact of change.
We provided engagement support to a range of community engagement processes including through media and for public open events.
Tasman District Council are now going through the next steps of a Plan Change to formalise the planned growth into the regulatory process, and prioristing key infrastructure upgrades that will be needed to support it.
