John Cronin BOP Regional Council Chairman www.envbop.govt.nz

Auckland's super city has just released a discussion document which will help form a draft of its first-ever spatial plan.

And while this plan is for Auckland, it will have an impact well beyond the super city's boundaries, including the Bay of Plenty. Earlier this week, I went to Auckland to participate in a seminar to find out more about how this plan will affect us.

Developing a spatial plan is a way of planning the social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives of a city, or region, and its communities. It provides greater certainty for developers, transport, rural and urban planners, business, industry and utilities, as well as the environment and people living in and around a city.

The Auckland plan's discussion document – called ‘Auckland Unleashed' – sets out the ideas and initial proposals which will go towards creating a draft Auckland plan, which is likely to be adopted by the end of this year.

It's described as a ‘bold 30-year vision and strategy for Auckland, underpinned by the mayor's vision of making it the world's most liveable city'.

That's a bold statement. So how does it affect us here in the Bay of Plenty?

The scope of this plan extends well beyond the mandate and budgets of the Auckland council and this week's seminar suggested that the spatial plan for Auckland could, by default, become the strategic plan for the northern half of the North Island.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker presented on why regions from outside the super city need to get engaged with its development.

We will become even more involved in Auckland's future land development and critical infrastructure, such as transport and open spaces, in the future. Auckland is also a strategic point of access for markets across the Pacific region, which industry in the Bay, particularly forestry and agricultural production, needs to harness.

We already have a part of a spatial plan developed for the Bay of Plenty in SmartGrowth. We've completed a considerable amount of research to develop a good understanding of the growth management issues we face.

We have had a history of rapid population growth since the 1950s and managing urban and rural development in a sustainable manner is one of the most fundamental challenges facing the Western Bay. Every week, 135 people arrive here from other places, 30 new houses are built, with 60 more vehicles on the roads.

If we are to progress in the Bay of Plenty and not be left behind, we need to be up to the mark. The events sparked by February's earthquake in Canterbury is likely to put a restraint on funds throughout the country, but we still need to make progress and ensure we plan ahead for our best future.

If you have a view on this, or any other local government issue, I invite you to email me at johncronin@xtra.co.nz