RMLA Hamilton 2011 Spatial Planning & Infrastructure

1. RMLA Hamilton 2011Spatial Planning & Infrastructure John Duffy, GM Planning & Design, Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd October 2011

2. Infrastructure…what is it? ‘Infrastructure’ is the fixed, long-lived structures that facilitate the production of goods and services and underpin many aspects of quality of life. “infrastructure’ refers to physical networks, principally transport, water, energy and communications’ National Infrastructure Plan 2011

3. What are we providing & where? Who can tell me what our plan is?

4. The big banana – who are we planning for?

5. Northland…untapped potential Industry Strengths & Aspirations • Aquaculture • Marine Shipping • Tourism • Clean Energy • Petrochemicals • Forestry Infrastructure Challenges • Freight/ holiday traffic conflicts (holiday highway v rail to port) • Sporadic development • Lack of development to support investment, lot of available land for it • Absentee holiday homers (peak demands)

6. Auckland… world’s most liveable city Industry Strengths & Aspirations • Food & Beverage • Health technologies • Marine/ Port • ICT • Manufacturing (declining) • Export Education • Tourism • Screen Production • Financial Services Infrastructure Challenges • Freight and passenger transport user conflicts (motorways and rail capacity) • Reliability or water supply & aging infrastructure • Power (lack of local generation) • Lack of affordable housing • Education/ Innovation hubs – who pays • Funding the costs of growth

7. Waikato… the engine room Industry Strengths & Aspirations • World class rural, aggregate, fishery and mineral resources • Tourism • Freight Logistics hub • Biotechnology, R&D supporting food industry • Education • Renewable energy (wind, geothermal, hydro) • Already a regional export economy Infrastructure Challenges • Transport improvements –Road, Rail, ports? • Absentee holiday homers (peak demands)\ • Plenty of water, but a number of waterways over allocated or of poor quality • Numerous TLAs with limited resources • Funding the costs of growth

8. Bay of Plenty..plenty going on Industry Strengths & Aspirations • Deep water export port with industry surrounding • Agriculture & Horticulture • Aquaculture • Tourism • Forestry • Marine Industry • Education Infrastructure Challenges • Sunk cost of infrastructure investment to facilitate growth vs rate of growth and investment? • Cost of new infrastructure for economic development in small communities (e.g. Opotiki wharf)

9. What could all this mean - governance • Cross Boundary co-operation & organisation • A centralised framework for considering and directing infrastructure investment (removing local bias?) • Reduction in number of agencies delivering municipal services • A need for consistency, to develop understand the plan & stick to it; • Need to connect with business & global markets & improve strategic relationships and partnerships

10. What could all this mean - practice • Regulatory consistency • Coastal settlements, developing infrastructure for extreme annual utilisation peak events – set clear limits or spread the costs more widely? • Review level of service expectations, should we be sealing rural roads? • Be proactive, consultative, inquiring and innovative – taking a world view, engage better with industries to understand their needs and requirements better

11. What could all this mean – outcome • A lifestyle region rivalling anything in Australasia. • A leading Southern Pacific economic conurbation. • Integrated approach to major industrial, infrastructural and economic development planning • Innovative super-regional solutions to accommodating growth and spreading demand • Protection of some of NZs best rural resources and natural assets through strategic planning