Creating connected communities

The Waipa District’s urban and rural environment is an attractive place to live, work and play – no wonder it’s growing. Waipa 2050 aims to support this growth.

Waipa District has experienced steady growth over the past two decades. Yet this has raised some challenges for Waipa District Council and the communities that live in the district.

Like, how to retain and celebrate the district’s unique character, culture, heritage, and status as the ‘Home of Champions’, protect the rural economy; avoid putting pressure on the environment; and provide for a population that’s growing older.

To address these challenges, Waipa District Council got us on board to undertake a comprehensive policy review. This included a district growth strategy (providing a future vision with predicated population and employment growth), town concept plans (for areas like Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Ohaupo and Pirongia – providing an urban design blueprint for the future), an environment strategy (which provides a clear pathway to sustainability with goals and actions for the council and communities) and a full review of the Waipa District Plan.

A multi-stage project, Waipa 2050 is leading the Waipa District into a sustainable future that’ll support the existing – as well as the growing – communities. It also provided valuable input into FutureProof (the sub-regional growth strategy) and contributed to enabling government investment in major regional infrastructure such as the Waikato Expressway.

In 2016 we again supported Waipa District Council in a review of Waipa 2050 through structured planning within Cambridge and the vision that responds to the strengths of each distinctive town and village area within Waipa. For more on Waipa and the consultation on the Waipa District Council draft 10-year plan 2018-28 visit 'What's the story?'.
 

Award

2011 NZPI Awards – Nancy Northcroft Planning Practice Award