Tauranga’s elected council has just chalked-up one year in the job and is looking forward to continuing to deal with the city’s infrastructure deficit and growth challenges.
Mayor Mahé Drysdale says that after being sworn in in August last year, the Council’s collaborative approach is working well and benefitting the city.
Mahe Drysdale
“Elected councils in Tauranga have had a chequered history in recent times, but we’ve put that behind us and are working collaboratively with important stakeholders like central Government and community organisations to deliver affordable progress towards our goal of being the best city in New Zealand,” Mahé says.
“We have a four-year term and that gives us a great opportunity to crack-on and really get to grips with the issues Tauranga has been grappling with for some time – a dire housing shortage and the country’s least affordable homes; traffic congestion; and inadequate community facilities.”
Mahé cites the recent Government announcement that the Western Bay of Plenty is one of three areas chosen to negotiate a city or regional deal as evidence that there is a broad understanding of our importance to the national economy.
“Tauranga has been New Zealand’s fastest-growing city for much of the last 10 years, with much of this rapid expansion driven by the presence of the country’s largest export port and the opportunities and lifestyle the region offers,” he adds.
“Regrettably, we haven’t always invested in the infrastructure required to facilitate that growth and that’s evidenced in our housing issues and congested roading network. But we’re now making good progress on a number of fronts.
“Securing a regional deal will be an important advance and will mean we have an agreed set of priorities and funding commitments in place with the Government, providing all stakeholders with the certainty they need to make investment decisions that will drive confidence in our local and national economies.”
Key projects underway include the NZ Transport Agency-led Takitimu Northern Link state highway improvements and Tauriko West enabling works, which will lead into the SH29 upgrade, paving the way for significant housing (circa 4,000 new homes in the medium term) and industrial development (generating an estimated 3,000 new jobs), as well as improved road access across the city and to and from the port.
Work is also progressing well on the Pāpāmoa East Interchange (PEI) on the Tauranga Eastern Link motorway, which will see the eastbound offramp opened by the end of August, nine months early, greatly improving access to the area and easing congestion at the Domain Road interchange.
When completed in early-2026, the PEI will not only deliver improved access for Pāpāmoa residents to and from the rest of the city, but will facilitate further residential, commercial and community facility development in the city’s east.
Also making good progress are civic precinct and waterfront developments designed to reinvigorate the city centre.
The Te Manawataki o Te Papa investment will see the construction of a new library and community hub facility, civic whare (meeting place) and museum and exhibition gallery in the area bounded by Willow, Wharf, Hamilton and Durham Streets, linking through the upgraded Masonic Park to the revamped waterfront area.
Council’s investment in the city centre has been a catalyst for more than $1 billion of private development and combined, these projects will see a significant increase in the number of people living, working, learning and visiting the city centre.
Also in the wings are improvements to the Turret Rd/15th Avenue approach to the city centre, improving access to and from Welcome Bay and the city’s south-eastern suburbs.
“Investments on this scale do have an impact on rates, but we’re working hard with staff to cut the Council’s operating costs to keep rates increases to manageable levels,” Mahé concludes.
“That will be an ongoing focus for all of us, because we know rates affordability is a significant issue in the current economic climate. Over the next three years, our attention will be firmly fixed on ensuring that every Council project and service delivers great value for money for our community.”
Te Manawataki-o-Te Papa
