MASTER PLANNING

Master Planning is a comprehensive planning process that looks at options and opportunities for the short-, medium- and long-term future of the greater Westport area.

The Master Planning process seeks to provide a holistic road map for the community, public and private sectors. It ultimately guides the development of areas of land for future use, creating greater choice for the community around lower-risk areas.

Master Planning is part of the Resilient Westport package of works and being led by the Buller District Council. Stage One was initiated in late 2023 when the Isthmus Group was appointed to undertake the scope of works.

The process looks at hazard planning as well as the general wellbeing of the region – with areas of focus around economic development opportunities, social development and where and how Westport should grow. In terms of Resilient Westport’s underlying principles under the PARA framework, it incorporates elements of avoid, retreat and accommodate.

The goal of Master Planning is:

  • To plan growth areas for the greater Westport area that are less exposed to natural hazards.

  • To identify and promote new economic opportunities for the area.

  • Provide a long term strategic town plan for growth and potential relocation, post a natural hazard event occurring.

The background and early vision are complete. The focus in 2024 was the planning process and stakeholder engagement. Between April and December planning consultancy, Isthmus ran regular targeted stakeholder ‘Design Weeks’ with over 150 local community members being invited to a series of interactive and iterative workshops. The wider community is now being invited to share their thoughts on the Draft Master Plan.

THE WORK IS BEING CARRIED OUT IN 3 DISTINCT STAGES

Creation Of A Vision

Completed with Better Off funding.

Concept Plan And Visibility

This process is underway and being funded by Resilient Westport.

The Final Step

Developed spatial plan and implementation – is to be determined in terms of funding and timing.

“Critical to the process is that this plan is for Westport, by Westport.

Planning exercises of this type are intergenerational and ensure that the whole community can plan for the future, together.”

Community engagement

Stakeholder engagement took place in 2024 - with the team holding of five local stakeholder workshops or design weeks in Westport. The wider community is now being asked to share its thoughts on the Draft Master Plan from 10 February to 10 March 2025.

The first stakeholder workshops were held in April and May 2024 inviting local people to test the early planning assumptions and contribute their thoughts. The sessions through to November 2024 further developed those themes. Click on this link to see summaries of each workshop.

The workshops were facilitated by planning and urban design experts, Isthmus. Though they were largely by invite, drop-in sessions were advertised along the way for any members of the public interested in participating and finding out more. To find out more, you can visit our Facebook page or email master.planning@bdc.govt.nz

At the 18 December 2024 Buller District Council (BDC) meeting we shared our strategy for engaging more widely with the community around the Draft Master Plan.

A workshop was held on 20 November 2024 to share information with BDC governance but what was presented was not the final version of the Draft Master Plan. We anticipate further tweaks, including input from the stakeholder workshops, to be made to the document.

You can watch the full workshop (approximtely 1.5 hours) on the BDC Youtube page.

The community was engaged between 10 February and 10 March 2025 on what is contained in the Draft Plan and to hear their thoughts and views.

The Master Plan will be tabled at BDC’s 26 March 2025 meeting where endorsement is being sought for the Master Planning work to continue.

Engagement work to date:

  • 5 Design Week workshops held April–December with urban design experts Isthmus.

  • Over 150 participants shared ideas and shaped the plan.

  • Engagement on the Draft Master Plan 10 February to 10 March 2025.

  • 126 submissions received.

  • More than 620 local people directly engaged with during the engagement period.

 

Coming up:

26 March - Master Plan and engagement findings will be presented to Buller District Council, seeking endorsement.

If endorsed:

Implementation of the Plan will require local and government support in a range of ways, including gaining a volume of largely redundant Government (Pāmu) land.

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will likely be required to implement the plan and that will require seed funding.

The primary next steps are to secure seed funding and to enter into detailed negotiations in respect to Pāmu land.

Read our latest Media release here.

Westport community master planners at work.