Waipu Township

Summary

This Structure Plan is intended as a concept for the local Waipu Township area, integrating the protection, use and development of land and resources and setting out how to implement the Coastal Management Strategy vision and mission statements at a local level. In other words, it is a broad physical plan identifying areas for growth, protection, infrastructure and other community requirements over the next 20 years. 

Key elements

The Waipu Township Structure Plan identifies outcomes for living, working, playing and protecting the area. The key elements of the Structure Plan are as follows:

Clustered settlement at Waipu Township

Maintaining, with limited expansion, the Living 1 environment clustered at the centre of Waipu Township, providing for residential growth in a concentrated area rather than continued or uncontrolled ‘sprawl’ across the rural areas. Providing for ‘large lot’ residential development in a ring surrounding the Waipu Township, contained within ‘urban limits’ defined largely by existing and future road networks, the river and streams, and topography.  Maintaining coastal rural activities surrounding the development area. 

Recognising the heritage value and special sense of place of the area

Voluntary design guides to development to promote or support the heritage values of the area, both with respect to Nova Scotian and tangata whenua history. Traffic management in area to ensure that traffic generated activities (e.g. parking) do not detract from heritage values of settlement.

Development that provides for protection of vegetation and landscape values along river and out to the coast

Providing for some Living 1 and Living 3 expansion around the settlement areas, retaining and expanding the Coastal Countryside Environments surrounding the settlement, particularly where there are identified vegetation and landscape values. Encouraging riparian vegetation protection and enhancement in subdivision, use and development. Providing planting guides to encourage use of appropriate species in revegetation, including issues of eco-sourcing. Reserve expansion and viewpoint protection, including setting aside coastal margins and areas of valued riparian margins as part of the reserve network.

Natural and physical features and topography defining boundaries of settlement

Maintaining ‘Living 1’ Environment in clustered ‘centre’. Maintaining rural surrounds along the River and surrounding hills.

A special lifestyle encouraging pedestrian (non-motorised vehicle) friendly settlement

Traffic calming and management on Waipu Road through the commercial area. A longer term development for an alternative access road around community and commercial facilities.

Promote tourism and the heritage settlement at Waipu

Promote Waipu as a heritage centre of the coast. A number of specific heritage features were identified for protection and promotion of the heritage values of the area. In particular, these included the cemetery, glebe, museum, and old Manske. Enhancement of recreation facilities at Waipu Township, for example kayak, picnic and boating facilities were identified to encourage tourism activities.  Providing for commercial activities in Waipu Township including eco-tourism services (e.g.homestays, cafes, small scale restaurants etc) and ‘low impact’ industry.

A community village atmosphere

Adoption of traffic and parking management strategies to accommodate parking demand and reduce pedestrian and through-traffic conflicts at the Waipu Township commercial hub and the community facilities, including the recreation centre and school.

Waipu as a commercial centre for the coastal environment with careful road management

Promoting the settlement as the commercial hub for the southern coast. Careful management and control of industrial activities in the area where they may compromise the ‘service’ and commercial function of the centre, promoting concentration of such activities to existing industrial corridors (e.g. Marsden Point).

Provide for local service industry to support the village and wider coastal environment

Provide an area for light service industry at Waipu Village with environmental controls.  Directing heavy industry to other available areas of the District, particularly the Marsden Point area, where existing land use, infrastructure and facilities were considered to better cater for such activities.

Maintain and Protect the Farming Surrounds

Identification of ‘buffers’ between rural and residential areas, including generous building setbacks on Countryside and Coastal Countryside boundaries. Provide education and public awareness information on the nature of farming operations to improve understanding by ‘residential’ community of the needs and impacts of rural activities.

Recognise and maintain the active recreation function of the area

Stormwater / Catchment management for water quality for the Waipu River. Improve existing boat ramp facilities and parking adjacent to Waipu Boat and Fishing Club river area.

A network of walkways, recreation access points and linkages through the area

Expand reserve and open space network along river and between heritage features of Waipu. Provision for cyclists and pedestrians on Waipu Road to provide connectivity between the village and coastal settlements.

Waipu Road as a ‘scenic experience’

Consistent signage and ‘place marketing’ in Waipu Township as a ‘gateway’. Maintaining road as a ‘coastal scenic route’ – allowing for safety and capacity upgrades (e.g. bridge crossings).

Manage land use and infrastructure to enhance river and coastal water quality

Comprehensive stormwater management planning. Flooding and stormwater management were identified both as issues for the quality of the Living Environment and with respect to water quality. Setting aside of land along the margins of the Waipu River was identified as a key desired outcome, providing enhanced recreation linkages as well as providing a planting area for water quality management. Reticulated wastewater in settlement area.

Significant outlooks to the coast viewed from the key public vantage points (including the road) protected

Expansion of the reserve network especially along river margin. Development of ‘gateway’ and other scenic lay-bys on Waipu Road. Encouraging riparian vegetation protection and enhancement on private property.

Heritage values of the area recognised and protected

Protect and enhance The Glebe. Protect and enhance the museum and surrounding environment including the cemetery,heritage monuments, Coronation Hall, Waihoihoi Park, Johnson Point Reserve and similar.  Promote Scottish heritage activities, including displays, and provide for the ‘use’ of these areas to promote heritage.  Development of consistent signage and urban design (including public infrastructure) to promote the heritage values of the area (progress on the current Main Street project for example).

Follow the links below to view the complete document and accompanying map.

Waipu Township Structure Plan [886.9kb] Full version.
Waipu Township Structure Plan map [2.13mb]