Settlement Pattern

The western Bay of Plenty’s population is expected to grow from 165,910 in 2013 to 221,631 in 2033.

An important part of the SmartGrowth strategy, The Settlement Pattern is a ‘blueprint’ that sets out how, where and when development will occur within the western Bay. This ensures that implications of infrastructure and funding can be worked through early, in an integrated way.

Want to learn more about SmartGrowth’s approach to integrated planning and the Settlement Pattern? Download the Strategy Chapter in the header above.

Need the short version? The key components of The Settlement Pattern are:

The SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern
SmartGrowth corridors
Growth projections and demographic analysis
Staged development of the Settlement Pattern
Residential land
Business land
Sub-regional infrastructure
Transport

The SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern provides certainty by sending clear signals to the market on long-term growth and development of the western Bay. The Settlement Pattern promotes a more compact urban footprint and protects productive rural land for the foreseeable future under the current growth rates.

National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity

SmartGrowth's planning will be mindful and inclusive of Central Government’s newly released National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity that takes effect on 1 December 2016 and aims to give decision makers under the Resource Management Act clearer direction and greater flexibility for urban planning now and in the future.