Tauranga developer and former MP Bob Clarkson is calling the SmartGrowth strategy review pre-determined, but this has been rejected by SmartGrowth and Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby as sour grapes because he wants his land development approved now.

His accusation comes after receiving a letter he says shows the strategic planning agency has made up its mind on his plans for a mixed residential development including affordable housing in Tauriko.

Bob Clarkson on the land he wants to develop in Tauriko.

The letter from SmartGrowth programme manager Justine Brennan states residential development for his land is 'highly unlikely” to be approved for at least 10 years. The letter comes after Bob has been encouraged to apply for approval after the reviewed strategy is finalised next year.

Bob says the letter states the decision has already been made and that he should go away.

The letter states Bob's residential development plans are unlikely as they are not in the settlement plan and there is ample residential-zoned land for at least 10 years.

Justine told SunLive Bob's claim is misleading and is motivated by his wish to have the land rezoned immediately and incorporated in the residential settlement pattern despite a series of challenges.

'There are a number of issues with this which make this aspiration problematic, particularly around transport implications on State Highway 29 and undermining the development certainty promoted by an agreed settlement pattern.

'Mr Clarkson is seeking a guarantee, prior to SmartGrowth completing this analysis, that his land will be included as a growth area in the short term. That type of commitment cannot be given as there are a myriad of other factors that will all need to be considered together through the SmartGrowth update.”

Justine says Bob's land is being assessed through the SmartGrowth update along with other possible areas for future growth once the current residential-zoned land within the established settlement pattern has been used up.

She says once this is completed (early-2013), the information will go to the SmartGrowth committee to decide on indicative future urban growth areas.

Stuart rejects his criticism that the review was a sham, saying the review – which is only mid-way thought - 'is a timely review in light of the new economic environment that we now operate under”.

'Mr Clarkson is criticising SmartGrowth because he is not getting his own way. Nobody encouraged Mr Clarkson to buy all his rural land or machinery, he did it himself with no engagement and needs to take responsibility for his own decisions and stop blaming others for the predicament he now finds himself in.”

Stuart says the land is unlikely to be rezoned for residential in the short term but will be assessed for future needs.

'It is simply a timing issue.”

SmartGrowth is a strategy for managing future growth in the Western Bay of Plenty, which all three local authorities - Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council - have signed up to. The plan aims to ensure orderly residential development is coordinated with infrastructure and transport needs, while preserving fertile agricultural land.

Western Bay Council customer services group manager Steve Hill says because all issues relating to future growth were being considered in the review, including the settlement area, it would be advisable for him to apply for approval or a private plan change after the review was finalised rather than before.

But Bob says he is getting old and running out of time, so does not want to 'waste” another year with an unsuccessful application.

Instead Bob is promising to be a 'pain in the backside” to the councils if the review does not go his way, saying he plans to appeal 'until they wake their mind up”.

The SmartGrowth review is looking at the strategy's success to date, research on new and emerging issues and feedback from community consultation.

Submissions close at the end of October.

Justine says affordable housing is one of the 'key issues” for the update and is included in the research programme.

Review details: www.smartgrowthbop.org.nz