RESIDENTIAL GROWTH STRATEGY - Palmerston North City Council

2 Strategic Framework
2.1.1 In addition to work on residential growth, the Council is undertaking a number
of strategic planning initiatives, which together will inform the review of the
District Plan and other related activities. These planning projects and their
relation to residential growth are summarised below.
Sustainable City Strategy
2.1.2 In June 2010, Palmerston North City Council adopted a Sustainable City
Strategy. This is a high level vision for the future development of the City in a
matter which improves outcomes across the four well-beings identified in the
Local Government Act 2002, namely environmental, social, cultural and
economic.
2.1.3 The Sustainable City Strategy identifies a number of requirements relating to
future development of the City, which are of direct relevance to the residential
growth review. In particular;
• The need to ensure that growth areas are close to, and well connected to, the
existing City, so as to reduce fossil fuel dependency for travel, and to facilitate
active travel modes (cycling and walking).
• The need to ensure that future housing supply includes a variety of housing
types, including quality affordable housing.
• Improving the stock and quality of habitats and native vegetation in the City.
• Ensuring that land is identified to meet the projected growth for the City.
2.1.4 The preferred growth areas identified in the residential growth review have
been assessed as being the sites most capable of achieving these aims.
Transport Plans
2.1.5 The Council has a long term plan to develop an outer ring road for the City.
This is set out in the current Transport Management Plan, and in the draft
Regional Land Transport Strategy (published June 2010). The ring road will
enable easy access to different parts of the City without the need to traverse
the City’s inner roading network, particularly for traffic crossing the river. This
will be important to ensure that the city does not suffer traffic congestion as its
population and economic activity continue to grow. The ring road concept will
also allow through-traffic to by-pass the City, again reducing congestion.
2.1.6 The ring road concept is illustrated on map 1 at the back of this document.
This is indicative only as the final route has yet to be determined.
Implementation of this project will take some time to reach completion. It is a
major undertaking, which will involve significant roading upgrades and,
ultimately, two new bridge crossings for the Manawatu River. Inevitably it will
have to be phased in over a number of stages.
2.1.7 Work to date has identified the first priority to be the development a new bridge
crossing located upstream of the existing Fitzherbert bridge at Te Matai Road/
Staces Road, together with a package of strategic roading upgrades to improve
accessibility from Feilding to the Eastern side of the City, including the airport
and the North East Industrial Zone.
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