This section contains information about Council’s urban design initiatives.
Updated:
5/12/2011 2:22 p.m.
What is urban design?
Urban design is the process of making better places by designing buildings, spaces and infrastructure that enhance the function, feel and form of towns and cities.
Good urban design can help with improving Whangarei’s sense of place, pride and security and help to achieve a higher quality of life, more efficient use of resources and greater economic vitality.
Considering these long-term benefits to the community, we have adopted a number of initiatives to promote good urban design in Whangarei. These include signing of the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol in 2008 as well as recent and ongoing projects such as the Urban Design Panel, Urban Design Guides, the revitalisation of the Central Business District (CBD) and an urban design demonstration project.
Urban Design Protocol
In October 2008, Council became a signatory to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol, an initiative of the Ministry for the Environment which aims to make our towns and cities more successful through quality urban design.
Under the Protocol, each signatory appoints an Urban Design Champion tasked to promote quality urban design in the organisation and submits and monitors an Action Plan to demonstrate its commitment to the Protocol.
Our Action Plan will be on-going and is based on the following:
- promoting the Protocol and raising urban design awareness.
- building capacity within Council.
- developing urban design guides.
- incorporating urban design in new and existing strategies and policies.
- planning for future urban development.
- delivering high quality design in Council’s major development projects.
- making decisions which promote good urban design.
NZ Urban Design Protocol (Ministry for the Environment website) Opens in a new window.
Urban Design Panel
The Urban Design Panel is a group of professionals within Council who can provide free advice and recommendations to individuals and developers on the urban design aspects of their proposals. The Panel includes people with expertise in urban design, architecture, property development, planning, landscape architecture, environmental policy, resource and building consents.
The purpose of the Panel is to help improve the design and viability of projects, increase the viability of an eventual consents application, and at the same time contribute to the enhancement of Whangarei’s urban environment.
The earlier in the design stage that a proposal goes to the Panel for assessment, the greater the benefits will be for the applicant.
Individuals whose projects have significant urban design implications, due to scale, public nature, activity, and location are encouraged to meet with the Panel. Apart from design elements, the Panel will consider the effects to, relationship with, and public perception towards the urban environment.
Follow the links below for further details about the Design Panel and how to make an appointment with it.
Urban Design Panel Brochure [228kb]
Urban Design Panel Implementing Guidelines [269.5kb]
Urban Design Panel Application [71.3kb]
Urban Design Guides
The Urban Design Guides are a series of documents currently being developed by Council to assist with resolving Whangarei’s urban design issues and to provide a working framework for individuals and developers who are looking to invest in projects within the urban centres of Whangarei.
These documents consist of:
Urban Design Strategy
The Urban Design Strategy called 'Making great places to shape our future' has recently been adopted by Council to set out Whangarei’s overall visionary statement in terms of the urban design intentions, design principles and implementing mechanisms.
Urban Design Strategy [2.43mb]
Urban Design Frameworks
The Urban Design Frameworks will define the character and role of specific urban centres or areas, building on existing initiatives such as the 20/20 Inner City redevelopment and urban structure plans. Council is currently developing an urban design framework geared towards revitalizing the city centre.
Urban Design Guidelines
The Urban Design Guidelines will demonstrate how the elements of building or space design such as colour, materials, and facade can best give effect to the Strategy and Frameworks.
Urban Design demonstration project
Council will be launching a number of urban demonstration projects to increase community awareness and put the design guides into action. The first project will be a ring of walkways around the inner harbour, to complement the construction of the second bridge.
Follow the link below to view the walkway concept.
Ring of walkways concept board [851kb]
Contact us
Phone: +64 9 4304 200
Email: mailroom@wdc.govt.nz