2021: Alterations to the boundary between Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga City
Application for boundary change
Receipt of application
On 1 November 2018, the Commission received a local government reorganisation application from the Western Bay of Plenty District council for a change in its boundary with Tauranga City. The effect of the proposal would be to transfer approximately 189 hectares of land at Tauriko West from the district to the city.
The affected area which would become part of the city if the proposal were to proceed, is shown on the map here:
Map: Proposed Tauriko boundary change (PDF, 1.9 MB)
You can read the original application and additional supporting information here:
Supporting information: Tauriko West Application (PDF, 3.6 MB)
Background to application
The reorganisation application arises from work undertaken by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and other stakeholders on how to provide sufficient urban land for the future development of the Tauranga urban area over the coming decades.
You can find further information about this work at the websites of the Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District councils and at the website of Tauriko for Tomorrow.
The Project (Tauriko for Tomorrow website)
Proposed boundary change betwen Western Bay and Tauranga (Western Bay of Plenty District Council website)
New community: Tauriko West (Tauranga City Council website)
This work identified land at Tauriko West as the most appropriate area for future urban development to accommodate the expected growth in the population of the urban area.
Part of this area however currently lies outside the city boundaries and is within the Western Bay of Plenty District. The application seeks to move this area into the city. This is seen as desirable because it would enable planning and infrastructure development for the whole new urban area to be undertaken by a single local authority and would mean the future residential community would sit within a single rather local authority area rather than being divided between two.
Agreement to assess application
On 29 November 2018, the Commission determined that the application for a change to the boundary between Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City met the necessary statutory requirements and agreed to assess the application.
You can read the Commission’s November decision and related public notice here:
The effect of this was that a process would take place in accordance with requirements set out in Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act 2002. The first step in this is for the Commission to invite alternative applications. This is the opportunity for any interested person or group to put forward alternative proposals for the future local government of the affected area. At this stage the Commission had not formed any view on what the best outcome for the area.
Invitation for alternative applications
On 15 March 2019, the Commission released a public notice inviting alternative reorganisation applications in response to an application for a change to the boundary between Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City.
The period for alternative applications closed on Thursday 18 April 2019. You can read the public notice here:
Responses to call for alternative applications
At its meeting on 23 May 2019, the Commission received seven responses to its call for alternative applications.
You can read the responses to the call for alternatives here:
After considering these responses, the Commission agreed that it would also consider other boundary changes reflecting a need to provide urban land for residential and business growth in the sub-region. It noted it intended meeting with the affected local authorities and some alternative applicants before identifying “reasonably practical options” and then its “preferred option”.
Changes to legislation
The Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2019 came into effect on 21 October 2019. This made significant changes to the law governing how local government reorganisation proposals are to be dealt with by the Local Government Commission.
The existing reorganisation process in the Western Bay of Plenty is deemed to be a “reorganisation investigation” in terms of the new legislation. This means that rather than the process following a series of steps as set down in the previous legislation, the Commission has more flexibility over the process it will follow, and is better able to design a process to fit the issues before it in any particular case.
Before deciding on the process it will follow, however, the Commission is required to consult affected local authorities and iwi and hapū. Accordingly, the Commission undertook the required consultations in late 2019 in relation to possible changes to the Western Bay of Plenty District/Tauranga City boundary. Once this was completed, the Commission was in a position to adopt a reorganisation investigation process document setting this process out.
The revised legislation can be accessed using the search function at Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act 2002 (NZ Legislation).
Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act 2002 (NZ Legislation website)
Reorganisation investigation process
Following consultation with affected local authorities and hapū, the Commission adopted a reorganisation investigation process document setting out how it intends to bring the consideration of the proposed Western Bay of Plenty District/Tauranga City boundary changes to a conclusion.
You can see the Commission’s process document here:
Maps showing the potentially affected areas are in the appendix to the document.
The need to agree an investigation process and adopt a document setting out this process followed amendments made in October 2019 to the local government reorganisation process as set out in Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act 2002.
The main features of the investigation process are:
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- The Commission intends considering the proposed boundary alteration at Tauriko West on a faster timeframe than those in the areas of Belk Road, Keenan Road and Tara Road.
- Before adopting any reorganisation plan to bring a boundary change into effect, the Commission will seek public input by inviting submissions in response to a statement of intentions.
- The Commission will continue to seek input from affected councils and hapu throughout the process.
Consultation in relation to the Tauriko West area was expected to take place in the first half of 2020, with consideration of the other three areas following that.
Boundary change at Tauriko West
Call for submissions
The Commission consulted on a proposal that it proceed with a change to the boundary between Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City at Tauriko West.
The change would result in approximately 189 hectares of rural land, currently in the district, becoming part of the city. The Commission published a consultation document providing information about the proposed change and outlining why the Commission thinks the change would be appropriate.
You can read the consultation document and related public notice here:
Submissions on the proposal closed on 17 April 2020.
Responses to call for submissions - Tauriko West
The Commission received 12 responses to its call for submissions on this proposal. These were considered at a meeting on 21 May, following which the Commission agreed to develop and adopt a reorganisation plan to advance the proposal.
You can read the submissions that were received here:
Submissions: Tauriko West boundary change proposal- May 2020 (PDF, 4 MB)
And the paper considered by the Commission here:
Paper: Consideration of Tauriko reorganisation submissions - May 2020 (PDF, 294 KB)
Tauriko West reorganisation plan
On 20 July 2020 the Commission issued a reorganisation plan providing for the boundary alteration at Tauriko West
Reorganisation plan: Tauriko West boundary alteration (PDF, 546 KB)
The reorganisation plan was given effect to by the Local Government Reorganisation (Tauriko West) Order 2020.
Local Government Reorganisation (Tauriko West) Order 2020 (NZ Gazette)
Tauriko West reorganisation implementation scheme
On 1 November 2020 the Commission issued a reorganisation implementation scheme setting out detailed transitional matters to assist the implementation of the Tauriko West boundary alteration.
Implementation scheme: Tauriko West Reorganisation (PDF, 463 KB)
The reorganisation implementation scheme was given effect to by the Local Government Reorganisation (Tauriko West) Implementation Order.
Local Government Reorganisation (Tauriko West) Implementation Order (NZ Gazette)
Boundary changes at Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads
Decision on boundary changes at Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads
On 27 November 2020 the Commission, after considering submissions, decided to proceed with the transfer of the Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads areas from Western Bay of Plenty District to Tauranga City. It also decided to transfer a small area from Tauranga City to Western Bay of Plenty District.
Decision: Adopting a reorganisation plan for Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads (PDF, 337 KB)
The Commission consulted on three further possible changes to the boundary between Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City. These are in the areas around Keenan Road, Belk Road, and Tara Road at Papamoa.
You can read the public notice about the consultation processes here:
The Commission released a short consultation document relating to each of the three proposed changes and called for submissions. Submissions closed 31 July 2020.
Keenan Road
This affects an area of approximately 260 hectares bounded by state highway 36 and including Keenan Road, Gasson Lane and part of Merrick Road.
You can view a map of the area here:
Map: Keenan Road area (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Download a copy of the consultation document here:
Consultation document: Proposed boundary alterations - Keenan Road (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Belk Road
This affects an area of approximately 150 hectares bordering the current Tauriko Business Estate.
You can view a map of the area here:
Map: Belk Road area (PDF, 1.9 MB)
Download a copy of the consultation document here:
Consultation document: Proposed boundary alterations - Belk Road (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Tara Road (Papamoa)
This affects an area of approximately 57 hectares between Tara Road and the Tauranga Eastern Link Road.
You can view a map of the area here:
Map: Tara Road area (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Download a copy of the consultation document here:
Consultation document: Proposed boundary alterations - Tara Road (PDF, 967 KB)
Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads reorganisation plan
On 1 February 2021 the Commission issued a reorganisation plan providing for the boundary alterations at Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads.
Here are the maps referred to in the plan:
Map: LG-022/023-2020-Boundary-2 - Belk Road (JPG, 2.7 MB)
Map: LG-022/023-2020-Boundary-3 - Keenan Road (JPG, 2.5 MB)
Map: LG-022/023-2020-Boundary-4 - Tara Road (JPG, 2.4 MB)
Map: LG-022/023-2020-Boundary-5 - Hurst property (JPG, 2.1 MB)
The reorganisation plan was given effect to by the Local Government Reorganistion (Belt, Keenan and Tara Roads) Order 2021.
Local Government Reorganisation (Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads) Order 2021 (NZ Gazette).
Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads reorganisation implementation scheme
On 15 February 2021 the Commission issued a reorganisation implementation scheme setting out detailed to assist the implementation of the boundary alterations at Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads, and for the Hurst property.
The reorganisation implementation scheme was given effect to by the Local Government Reorganistion (Belt, Keenan and Tara Roads) Implementation Order 2021.
Amendments to reorganisation implementation schemes
On 22 April 2022 the Commission issued a reorganisation implementation scheme amending the reorganisation implementation schemes for the boundary alterations at (1) Tauriko West and (2) Belk, Keenan and Tara Roads, and the Hurst property.
The reorganisation implementation scheme was given effect to by the: