Council releases wharf plan for feedback

This week, Ōpōtiki District Council has shared early concept drawings of the Harbour Wharf Masterplan for feedback. The plan outlines possible changes and improvements, community facilities and recreational spaces once the new harbour entrance is completed.

Council’s Planning and Regulatory Manager, Gerard McCormack, said that with the Harbour Development on track to open at the end of 2023, it was a good time to look ahead to how the areas around the harbour and wharf could look and function over the next five to thirty years.

“In just a couple of years, Ōpōtiki will have a large, bustling harbour entrance with all the new jobs, industries and opportunities that it creates. Council is working to ensure that the benefits are felt by everyone in the district.

“This masterplan is about planning activities and facilities that the community wants in the right places. We want to get the timing right so that changes can be made back-to-back with current construction works without having to start again from scratch.

“The masterplan is about improving links from town to the water, provide new and improved recreational spaces like playgrounds and barbeques, easier access to the water for a wide range of users from waka ama to large boats.

“We have been working with some of the key stakeholders for their input and now the wider community on what we want for these areas.

“Once we have community feedback, we expect to finalise the masterplan by August. It will go to councillors for consideration along with the implementation plan and priority of works to be carried out over the next two years and beyond.

“These early drawings are concepts to work from – it is easier to image the spaces we can create without starting from a blank page. And all feedback is welcome.

“Of course, anything we design will need to be costed and consented and a number of other steps in between, but this is a chance for the community to have input into the design at the earliest stages,” Gerard McCormack said.

View the sketches, get more information and share any feedback