Property Council Bay of Plenty have insisted that economic growth and investment must be at the forefront of plans for Tauranga, and the catalyst is increased private investment in the CBD and the waterfront.
Their vision was submitted on Tauranga City Council's Long Term Plan for next decade, emphasising that economic growth is key to bringing new skills and wealth into the region for a vibrant economy and strong local community.
Property Council Bay of Plenty branch believes investment is needed along the waterfront. Photo: File.
Council's LTP public submission period closed this week, with 646 submissions received, and around 500 of those coming in on the last day.
This number is 49 fewer than the 695 submissions to the 2012-22 Long Term Plan.
Particular interest was shown in CBD parking and the cycleway project, while many of the submissions were from community groups, businesses and petitioners.
Among those was the Bay property branch, who are particularly supportive of SmartGrowth, greater use of developer agreements and building new infrastructure to adequately plan and provide for growth.
Bay of Plenty president Andrew Collins says the branch agrees with the council that a vibrant city centre creates an economic hub, increased productivity and employment opportunities.
'We want to see Tauranga grow,” says Andrew. 'That is why we support the council's proposed $8 million investment for waterfront and amenities over 10 years.
'Investment is a catalyst for Tauranga and it will complement the significant private sector investments being made in the city centre.”
The branch is suggesting the council explores additional avenues for increasing investment into the central city and waterfront area, through partnering with the private sector.
Andrew adds: 'It's important the council takes Martin Jenkins' analysis on board, where he says trends in the private sector show that several larger companies are looking to set up in the city centre in new offices.
'He also says older buildings – some of which might need earthquake strengthening – are already proving less desirable for commercial and retail occupants.”
The branch supports the development of the education precinct, which will strengthen the talent and knowledge base in the city centre.
At the moment, developers are exploring the potential demand for student accommodation with the possibility of a wider opportunity to increase resident numbers.
Property Council Bay of Plenty also supports the council's proposals to increase annual funding for events as this is key to maintaining Tauranga's reputation as a desirable place to reside and visit, and keeping its high profile.
More detailed analysis of council's LTP will be released in a report prior to meetings starting on June 2.
9 comments
Property Council BOP
Posted on 24-04-2015 14:36 | By YOGI BEAR
have a vested interest (via who it represents/members, that TCC spending up large will only add value to the wealth of its members but in so doing create massive debt for its ratepayers as a whole. There is nothing fair about that for TCC ratepayers.
Word play
Posted on 24-04-2015 18:45 | By nerak
all very jolly wonderful, 'insisted', 'economic growth','new skills and wealth', 'vibrant economy', blah blah. Yeah, right, so long as it doesn't hit my ratepayer pocket. I'm with Yogi. Who is Martin Jenkins, anyway?
Out of touch
Posted on 24-04-2015 19:17 | By Accountable
It appears that the Tauranga Property Council is completely out of touch with the tenants in the CBD and are peeing in the Councils pockets. Investment in the Waterfront and increasing investment in events in the CBD is asking the ratepayer to spend money in the hope of bringing more people into the CBD, which of course those of us who own businesses in the CBD know it won't,to avoid the much more urgent need to reduce the rents in the CBD. Compared to everywhere else in Tauranga the CBD is still the most expensive rental proposition per foot traffic figures.The Waterfront will never compete with the Mount and is far more economically viable for the CBD businesses as a car park. Maybe the property Council will build a car parking building and allow our customers to park for free and then we will see the CBD flourish.
Grow up
Posted on 25-04-2015 07:28 | By Johnney
Let's see more inner city apartment development, super market, university etc. Let's stop growing the city boundaries so we can make use of the current infrastructure instead of forever expanding it. Let's grow the city up, not out and make it a more vibrant place.
Wisechief
Posted on 25-04-2015 07:52 | By Wise Chief
Totally agree Yogi Bear, that TCC spending is always designed to serve interests of already wealthy in and around this town. We have real Cabal of selfish wealthy people now living locally who are all competing to be top dog over others rich or poor for ever greater share of a small profit pool that once existed here in past. We can be sure for them to create such new wealth council will find ways to cut small house-lot sections ever smaller so they can increase rates while profiting from the smaller lots. We can also see TCC are moving to cut up and sell off chunk of public land usually taken from local Maori to sell to their well heeled mates. Then there is the looming water issue for them to sell off to foreign interests to. Not one bone of loyalty to NZ Inc that's for sure
Very much out of touch
Posted on 25-04-2015 13:12 | By YOGI BEAR
The usual suspects have the hand out for themselves and mates to have what they want from the public feasting trough. Sadly the result of years of being able to and now the hard task of weaning them of the T*T is going to be hard, very hard and when it happens there will be a few tantrums as equality and fairness comes back into consideration. This aspect has been long forgotten and ignored, it does not suit the troughers at all of course. "Troughing" by definition means to feast from someone else's pocket for ones on desires, pet projects and self indulgences.
CBD rents
Posted on 25-04-2015 13:18 | By YOGI BEAR
yes they are over the top, they need a "correction" of some 20-40%. The attitude of the average landlord is based around single minded greed. In essence pay less get more. The bottom line here is that for example the earthquake costs have to be paid but by adding in more rent for that means killing off the tenants, who become unviable and leave the CBD, that is what we are seeing happen now.
Rastus
Posted on 25-04-2015 15:37 | By rastus
We already have everything here already - we do not need to hand out carrots because enough people and companies are already choosing to come to Tauranga. Andrew and his mates, plus 'P one' and the worst offenders 'Smart Growth' are powered by one thing 'Greed' - they never stop to think about those things that are important to the ratepayers such as 'Quality of life' 'affordabillity of life' etc etc - Yogi has got it pretty well right!
OMG
Posted on 26-04-2015 08:58 | By Capt_Kaveman
Down the same track as the last 30years, 1-the cycle way should be down the eastern link not the beach, 2-$8 million for waterfront is not an investment, 3-only ones that support SmartGrowth are the ones that want to make a quick buck and suck the system like the crazy Papamoa subdivisions of the recent past,4-infrastructure is where the council plan out the roading design not greedy developers, 5- 2 years has past and Granada/Gloucester links are still stagnate, 6-the only long term plan at this stage is not growth but sustainability and reducing debt, Roll on next election we need them all gone this time otherwise nothing will change
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