Blueprint FAQs

A Blueprint or Local Area Blueprint, is a term we are now using for master planning.

Council is now ready to do more detailed planning across the entire district.

This forms part of a number of initiatives that will enable Council to move towards its new vision of “Liveable, Thriving and Connected Communities” which has been underpinned through the Proposed District Plan objectives and policies and the Long Term Plan. The Blueprint is one of the next stages.

The impact of growth on our district is significant. Throughout the Long Term Plan consultation it became evident to Council that a different approach to planning was needed to help us manage these growth impacts on our communities. This is now reflected in Council’s new vision and the recognition that more detailed master planning was required. This has resulted in Council’s decision to undertake a Blueprint for our district. The approach will help ensure that our communities aspirations are integrated into Council’s key strategic and planning documents and that as our communities change we update our Blueprint.

The District Blueprint addresses Council’s vision and layers of planning to show the desired future for the district as a whole, whilst Local Area Blueprints are focused at town, village or rural area level.

Urbanismplus has explained that the Blueprint will contain ‘Master Plans’ however their preferred terminology is ‘Town Centre Strategies’.

Master planning is often misinterpreted as a fixed design, whereas Town Centre Strategies are designed to be flexible and adaptable.

The Blueprints address growth, infrastructure, social, community, environmental, economic and transport issues. At a local level these are more detailed and specific to the place, at district-wide level these are articulated as networks. In combination, they serve as a strategic tool with which the Council, informed by the community, can determine a holistic and strategic approach with clearly defined priorities and actions. Town Centre Strategies identified in the Blueprint process will be defined and delivered afterwards, likely 2019 onwards.

Pokeno and Mercer;Tuakau; Meremere; Huntly; Te Kauwhata and Rangiriri; Ngaruawahia, Taupiri and Horotiu; Te Kowhai and Whatawhata; Raglan; and Tamahere and Matangi. Towns not identified will be captured in the district-wide blueprint.

We have identified three more areas to get Local Area Blueprints – Newstead/Eureka, Gordonton and Port Waikato. This work is scheduled to begin late 2019.

Communities across the district have volunteers involved who are leading aspects of community planning.

Blueprints will incorporate this work in a way that will enable us to connect our communities at a district and local area level to give a complete picture for Council. We will then be able to better understand our community’s priorities so we can allocate resources.

Blueprints are not a substitute for the community planning work already being done. This is the mechanism that will allow Council to better align our plans, policies and strategies to our community aspirations and needs. Blueprints will help Council meet our communities’ expectations for better planning outcomes.