What is a spatial plan?

Whakatāne, Kawerau, and Ōpōtiki District Councils are working with iwi, government agencies and Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council to create a spatial plan that will shape our region’s future.

A spatial plan is about how we (and future generations) want to live, work and play in the future Eastern Bay. It’s about providing safe places for people to live, supporting the local economy, adapting to climate change and protecting our environment – ultimately, ensuring people and place can thrive.

Decision makers use spatial plans to come up with options for the future of spaces and places, for example:

• how towns might spread out (or up)
• where to build papakāinga
• where to build on the coast (and where not to)
• what infrastructure (such as pipes, parks, and roads) might be needed to support growing communities. 

Our Places – Eastern Bay Spatial Plan will help determine what the sub-region could look like in the future and how we can work together to get there.