Panel seek input for town plan

 

The Mangawhai Town Plan Community Advisory Panel is asking the community for its views on the key issues to be addressed in the Mangawhai Town Plan.

The Panel has been appointed to provide community views and feedback to the Kaipara District Council as the Mangawhai Town Plan project is developed by Council, prior to a formal consultation process in the latter part of 2017.

“We want a high level of community involvement,” said Belinda Vernon, Chair of the Panel. “We know there is a lot of interest in the Mangawhai Town Plan project and we want to ensure the Council hears the views of the community.”

The Panel wants to make it easy for people to share their views and contribute to the development of the Plan.

“We are contacting community groups to invite their input, including an opportunity to present to the Panel. We also want individuals to give us their views on the type of Mangawhai they want to see in the future and what Council can do to make that happen. We will be holding open days where community members can express their views on concepts presented as well as offer their own ideas.”

The Panel is working to a tight time-frame with recommendations due to Council by June 2017.

“We need to understand how the community feels on key issues such as growth, transport, landscape and urban design. We know there will be a variety of views within the community. Our job is to ensure that we understand all those views and develop recommendations that can help guide Council on how to support a Mangawhai that we all want to live in.”

The Panel is ambitious in what it wants to achieve.

“We don’t want a town plan that is simply a copy of what others have done. We want the Mangawhai Town Plan to be innovative and creative. With the help of the community we will be challenging assumptions, looking for best practice, encouraging sustainable concepts, thinking outside the square, open to ideas and always mindful of the costs that follow.”

n Those wishing to express their views on the Mangawhai Town Plan are urged to contact the Panel at belinda@mangawhaitownplanpanel.com