South Ward looks 30 years ahead to plan its growth

Hurunui residents are being invited to have their say on how the South Ward will look and grow over the next 30 years.

Hurunui District Council CEO Hamish Dobbie says the community will be put in the driving seat in shaping how they want South Ward to look and feel as a place in which to work, live and play.

“By creating a blueprint for our future, we can ensure we have robust civic and spatial planning in place to keep us ahead of demands associated with population growth. This will provide sustainable and well-functioning environments that will meet the needs of current and future generations, looking at land use, connections to transport, jobs and community facilities, infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

“We want the community to be at the front of shaping their place for their future,” Dobbie said. “The South Ward Spatial Plan will inform our growth for the next 30 years.”

A short survey has gone out for community feedback on Monday 11 September 2023 for four weeks, closing at 5pm on Monday 9 October 2023. The survey will seek the community’s views on a range of issues including how to manage our growth, what services could be needed and what should be protected as the South Ward grows.

Hurunui District Council Planning Team Leader Nicola Kirby said some big picture ideas had emerged out of workshops with community representatives including Councillors, Youth Councillors and South Ward Committee members, taking into account national direction and other Council strategies.

“Now it is time to have a conversation with the wider community to further understand the opportunities and challenges for the South Ward and how the area might grow and change over the next 30 years,” Kirby said.

“South Ward is experiencing growth as part of the continued demand we’re seeing across North Canterbury,” Dobbie said. “This presents us with some great opportunities but it also means we need the community’s direction on how we manage our growth.”

Kirby said residents will have many opportunities to feed back their ideas. The survey, as well as other information, is available online on Council’s website at www.hurunui.govt.nz/swsp, with paper copies available at the Hurunui District Library in Amberley, the Amberley Service Centre and via email to submission@hurunui.govt.nz
Drop-in sessions will be held at the Hurunui District Library in Amberley on Tuesday 19 September; in Council’s Chambers in Amberley on Thursday 28 September; and the Amberley Farmers’ Market on Saturday 16 September and Saturday 30 September.

The Council will then prepare a draft South Ward Spatial Plan which will come back to the community for feedback early next year.