Public approval is being sought for Tauranga City Council's continued investment programme on the Tauranga waterfront and central city, with $12 million to be spent between 2016 and 2023 at a rate of $1m-$2m per year.

'It's a package,” says Mayor Stuart Crosby. 'It's both the waterfront and upgrades within the CBD in terms of roading and footpaths.

Access to the water is the next stage in the waterfront development. The picture is the 2010 master plan from TCC.

'Initially I proposed $8 million but that failed and we went for $12 million for both catchments - for the waterfront and for upgrades to footpaths and the streetscape.

'The point of the upgrades of footpaths and streetscape is if there is a redevelopment - a commercial development - then we will support that with upgrading around the footpaths and streets.

'For example, one of the key areas is going to be Durham Street where we will have Trustpower and the university campus. So that may require some upgrades next year or the year after. We merged them together rather having a pot for one and a pot for the other.”

The funding also continues the redevelopment of The Strand reclamation, which has in recent years seen the completion of the long awaited waterfront walkway, the children's play area, the setting aside of space for the Hairy Maclary bronzes and additional access across the railway track.

The intention of the continued investment is improving access to the waterfront, and along the waterfront from end-to-end, creating a public playground that has attracted new groups of users.

The suggested sequencing of the investment is access to water, the northern reclamation multi-purpose space, Spring Street crossing, Harbourside link, Strand Extension park and wharewaka.

The wharewaka is now scheduled for construction over two years from 2022 to 2023.

Creating a concept plan for Dive Crescent is also included, but there is no funding allocated as it is outside the scope of the current long term plan.

The waterfront redevelopment has community support as expressed across a series of Annual Plan and Long Term plan processes, as well as project-specific engagement for the playground area.

The council proposes to engage with the public at each step to ensure they have their say on the form and function of delivery, as well as including key users of particular areas to ensure they are designed and developed in a way that maximises potential use.

The waterfront in particular has been subject of multiple design plans, with each of them taking a comprehensive approach to engagement and delivery. None of them have been delivered as per the original scope.

The suggestion is to engage with each project prior to the detailed design stage.