Protests from the community have seen the Bay of Plenty Regional Council reinstate economic development funding.

'We have reinstated funding for Bay of Connections and SmartGrowth, will complete the Eastern Bay spatial plan, retain funds to complete our own spatial plan, publish Invest Bay of Plenty data and undertake a feasibility study into a marine spatial plan,” says chairman Doug Leeder.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council's First Avenue office.

'We've agreed to increase the operational budget by an extra $50,000 in 2015/16 to help cover the Regional Growth Study costs. We have listened to our community.”

The Regional Council planned to cut back funding economic development while it focused on the environment and water quality in its 2015-2025 Plan, released for public consultation in February.

Following submissions council decided to reinstate and increase funding for economic development, says Doug.

In the long term plan adopted last week, the regional council has decided to go ahead with more region-wide economic development planning.

Over the next five years more than $42 million of funding is allocated to four regional infrastructure projects; the Opotiki Harbour Transformation, Tauranga Marine Precinct, Tauranga Tertiary Campus and SCION Innovation Centre. They offer truly transformational economic change, says Doug.

The council intends to rebuild a regional fund for a range of priorities across the region, and the funding policy will be reviewed.

Council is spending 13 per cent of its operational budget to support economic development outcomes.

It is also budgeting $10.2 million to be spent of sewerage schemes about the Bay of Plenty.

While the relevant city or district council is the lead agency for sewerage projects, and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council can provide a subsidy to assist in some areas.

The budget includes $3.708 million for sewerage at Lake Rotoma, planned for 2017/18; and $4.851 at Rotoiti for 2018/19. Rotorua Lakes Council is the lead agency for these projects.

It also budgeted $1.045 million in Te Puna West for 2016/17 and $618,000 in Ongare Point for 2017/18, should the Western Bay communities decide to go ahead with schemes. All the systems are subject to business cases, conditions and consents being obtained for new systems.

The Regional Council has retained the budget for the Matata sewerage scheme, even though the Whakatane District council's case for it was rejected by the Environment Court on an appeal by local ratepayers.

Council says that overall it is planning to contribute more than $11 million to support district council small scale sewerage schemes over the next four years.