Bay of Plenty highest growth region in New Zealand

Tauranga City is one of the fastest growing territorial authorities. File image/SunLive.

Bay of Plenty provisionally had the highest percentage population growth of all regions in the year ended June 2020, according to Stats NZ.

'Bay of Plenty's population grew 2.8 per cent in the year ended June 2020, an increase of 9,100 people,” says Stats NZ population insights senior manager Brooke Theyers.

'This was driven by high growth in Tauranga city and Western Bay of Plenty district.”

Populations in all 16 regions of New Zealand grew between 2019 and 2020, although growth in the West Coast was small at 0.2 per cent, according to Stats NZ data.

Similar trends occurred between 2013 and 2019, with the West Coast the only region with a slight population decrease,

The regions with the highest percentage growth were Bay of Plenty at 2.8 per cent, Northland with 2.6 per cent, and Otago at 2.4 percent.

Waikato and Tasman had growth of 2.3 per cent, Auckland's growth was 2.2 per cent along with Canterbury, while the national average growth rate was 2.1 per cent.

Along with the West Coast the slowest growing regions were Southland at 1.1 per cent, and Gisborne 1.2 per cent.

The fast-growing territorial authority areas were the South Island districts of Queenstown-Lakes at 5.8 per cent, Selwyn with 5.2 per cent growth, and Tauranga city at 3.5 per cent.

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5 comments

Obvious

Posted on 22-10-2020 16:25 | By Kancho

Just look at the traffic and how far behind infrastructure investment and planning has been. So water is going to be an issue, rubbish is an issue, housing , bad decisions in road layout and congestion. So yes it's obvious, and it's obvious we are so far behind and our council deep in debt


@Kancho

Posted on 22-10-2020 17:03 | By morepork

I read your post with interest and I think many people feel as you do. Do you have any ideas or suggestions as to what we should do about this situation? The obvious one is that we need better Management and we need it soon, but what positive actions do you think could be done right now to improve things?


CORRECT!

Posted on 22-10-2020 21:40 | By Blasta

Well said Kancho.


Money

Posted on 23-10-2020 08:14 | By Kancho

The answer is money and planning. We haven't had enough of either and that can't be fixed. Council has been heavily indebted for a long time. Problem is wasting money and not staying with core business. All can recite the waste of money in many areas of operation of the council. Central government has also stood and watched as Tauranga has exploded with growth but investment has been too little. So we have been let down and there isn't any easy fix except better management and investment. The idea that council welcomes growth without a plan and so called smart growth strategies hasn't worked. Problem is money wasted can't be returned. Maybe if growth stalls and government invests more we may catch up a bit but I remain pesemistic.


@Kancho

Posted on 23-10-2020 13:41 | By morepork

Thanks for a sensible and well-balanced reply. I agree 100%. The question is: "Where do we start...?" I believe we need a complete change of Mayor and Council but we may have to wait for it. They could scrap the bins, for a start. And I think that NO further major works should be undertaken until after the Civic elections.


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