Our Places

What’s happening now

The Our Places – Eastern Bay Spatial Plan has reached a significant milestone and is now moving into its next phase — implementation. The plan provides a broad, long-term view of how and where growth could occur across Whakatāne, Kawerau, and Ōpōtiki districts over the next 30 years. The final Spatial Plan is expected to be formally adopted by councils in June 2025.

The plan has been shaped by valuable feedback from communities, iwi, hapū, and partner agencies during engagement in 2024. We heard that while there is strong support for growth across the Eastern Bay, it needs to be balanced, carefully planned, and tailored to the unique needs and character of each district.

As we move into the implementation phase, each council will begin more detailed local growth planning and delivery at its own pace. These local strategies will reflect each district’s specific needs and priorities, ensuring that future growth is well-considered and aligned with community aspirations.

While the Spatial Plan sets the overall direction for the Eastern Bay, this is not the end of the conversation. Community input will continue to play an important role as councils move forward with implementation and begin delivering projects that will help shape the Eastern Bay for future generations.