Town plan meeting gives lots of options

 

It is no secret that over the next decade the shape of Mangawhai will change in terms of population, commercial growth and layout, and roading systems.

The present growth now being experienced is unlikely to abate in the near future, and so plans need to be put in place now to ensure Mangawhai develops in the best way possible.

The Mangawhai Town Plan Project addresses options around infrastructure and policies, as staff and consultants review what’s currently in place and potential new policies for managing the town’s growth.

Mangawhai residents are taking up the discussion about how their township will develop to cater for present and future growth.

While nothing is set in concrete and a lot of discussion has yet to occur, Kaipara District Council has initiated a project to get everyone thinking about how Mangawhai should develop.

The Council went out to the community at an open meeting in the Village last weekend as part of the Annual Plan round-table sessions, to share ideas and work done so far on the Mangawhai Town Plan project.

At the round-table session, maps depicted the current context and development, and some concepts were displayed to create discussion and ideas. Some discussion included centring more dwellings around shopping areas; a shared walkway and cycle path connecting the Village to the Heads; rerouting traffic in Mangawhai village to manage traffic flow; and communal town water tanks for firefighting.

The public turnout was strong and showed there is a high level of interest in the project, which is positive.

What was of real value was hearing locals’ thoughts on the concepts and ideas developed so far.

Some voiced concern about the possible removal of specific buildings.

However, convenor Annie Van der Plas was quick to point out: “This is simply a starting point. As ideas are clarified, a community working group will be set up to work through options and the Council will also need to liaise with stakeholders such as Iwi, NZ Transport Agency and Northland Regional Council. There will be more public consultation opportunities as the project progresses.”