March 8, 2001

Auckland’s Regional Growth Forum is saving ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars according to its Chairman Philip Warren.

Mr Warren says the Growth Forum is addressing and resolving many contentious issues which prior to its establishment in 1994 would have ended up in costly court proceedings. He cites two examples from this week’s Forum meeting.

In the first, Growth Forum members agreed in principle to Waitakere City’s request to extend the metropolitan limits to allow the urbanisation of an area of land adjacent to Babich Wines.The Forum agreed that while urbanisation of this area was supported any change to the metropolitan limits should be addressed in the context of the western sector agreement.

“This is a win win situation where the landowner is provided with certainty about when urbanisation can occur and the Auckland Regional Council and Waitakere City Council requirement to ensure environmental issues are addressed,” Mr Warren says.

The second example relates to the Southern Sector Agreement where Franklin, Manukau and Papakura are pushing for an amended clause to address transport options from Franklin to the Auckland region’s urban transport network.

“With the south growing so rapidly transport options need to be explored so that future generations are not disadvantaged by our stuff ups,” Mr Warren says.

“In the past issues such as these would have cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to resolve but now through the Growth Forum they are addressed without the need for lawyers to become involved.”

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For further information please call:
Philip Warren, Regional Growth Forum Chairman, Phone 366-2000 ext 7111,
Mobile 025 987 934
Noel Reardon, ARC Regional Development Manager, Phone 366-2000 ext 8464.

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