RMLA Hamilton 2011Spatial Planning & Infrastructure

John Duffy, GM Planning & Design, Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd

October 2011

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

What are we providing & where?

Who can tell me what our plan is?

The big banana – who are we planning for?

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)

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

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

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)

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

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

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