‘Smartgrowth', introduced some ten years ago, has failed and should be ditched. 'Planning” is excellent of course for taking your freedoms, ‘redistributing' your money and building frustration and delays because they know, yes they truly do know, just what is best for you and your life; where, when, how big, at what cost, why, etc. I think centrist planners have had quite long enough in time and far, far more than enough in money to bring about a socialist Mecca by now in the Bay of Plenty haven't they, though there is always ‘plenty more to be done', isn't there?
Ration the land supply, impose endless fees, costs, delays and penalties, suffocate enterprise, risk taking or endeavour, complicate everything so it is difficult to readily comprehend and don't forget to frighten the serfs periodically with visions of truly fearful consequences if ‘they' weren't there to control and coerce us.
‘Smartgrowth' should be abandoned and the sooner the better.
Stuart Peat, Katikati.