Friday, March 29, 2024

Waikato plans for more land loss

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After losing 4000ha of productive land from 1996 to 2012 across the region Waikato District Council has recognised continued losses of some of the country’s most productive pastoral land will hit the region hard economically.
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The region has lost the second largest area of rural land in New Zealand in that time, coming after Auckland lost 4200ha. 

That is on top of recorded land losses from 1991-2001 of 3200ha and the total puts Waikato region’s  productive land loss close to Auckland’s over a 20-year period.

The region accounts for the highest number of dairy cows and the second highest number of beef cattle after Manawatu-Wanganui. It also contains 7000ha of high-value horticultural production land, similar to Auckland.

And demand for housing land looks set to continue.

Council community growth manager Clive Morgan said the latest Infometrics report shows the region gained 1.2% more businesses or another 9200 in the 2018 financial year, almost double the national average of 0.7%.

“The latest report reflects other evidence of continued interest in the district by people and businesses looking to realise value in the golden triangle but to avoid Auckland congestion.”

Morgan said the council is working to protect the rural economy and the soils it relies on by establishing a development strategy setting a framework to manage the tension between growth needs and protecting rural land.

The plan aims to identify towns and villages with defined urban boundaries as the focus for future development while maintaining rural areas for productive rural activity. They include Ngaruawahia, Huntly and Te Kauwhata, all to the north of Hamilton.

The council has identified 1000ha surrounding those growth nodes to help meet government requirements for urban development capacity. 

Intensification is being encouraged in existing residential areas to help reduce sprawl and greenfield development.

There is also a further 1000ha of land earmarked for transfer to Hamilton City, originally due to occur between 2039-45, but bought forward to within the next 10 years, based on Hamilton City Council estimates.

Morgan said the district council has signed up with neighbouring Waipa and Hamilton councils and Waikato Regional Council to better manage growth.  

The council also intends to accommodate a national policy statement on productive soils, should it come into effect.

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