Knowledge Precinct Plan survey

The project team will be available to chat about the Knowledge Precinct Plan at the following community drop-in sessions:

• Whangārei Central Library: 9:00am to 12:00pm on Saturday 10 May 2025
• Whangārei Central Library: 2:00pm to 5:00pm on Thursday 15 May 2025
• Whangārei Growers Market: 7:00am to 10:00am on Saturday 17 May 2025  
• Whangārei Central Library: 2:00pm to 5:00pm on Thursday 22 May 2025.

Having strategic plans in place enables us to prioritise our spending and provides certainty for business owners about what investment we are making in the city. 

The Knowledge Precinct Plan is the final plan being created as part of a strategic programme aimed at revitalising the central city. 

The other precinct plans are the City Core Precinct Plan, the Hīhīaua Precinct Plan and the Waterfront Precinct Plan. 

Read more about our precinct plans

While some actions from the plan will be funded by Council, subject to further community consultation, we aim to attract partners to collaborate with us as ideas develop.

A major part of the Knowledge Precinct Plan is the development of a Knowledge, Education and Arts (KEA) Hub. 

The KEA Hub aims to increase the number of students from Te Tai Tokerau that achieve tertiary education and qualifications, and increase the potential jobs available to young people. 

The hub could include multiple education providers to offer a range of options for students as well as student accommodation, and support services to assist students as they transition into tertiary education and beyond into the workforce.  

The KEA Hub is also a centre for arts and culture. There has been community interest in a larger theatre in Whangārei for years. 

A lyric theatre would complement the education focus of the hub, as it would provide performance, rehearsal and workshop spaces for the arts community, and attract people from across the region for events and shows.

The Knowledge Precinct area has other opportunities and issues that will need to be thought about. 

• Cafler Park, Waiarohia Stream and Botanica offer real potential for students, visitors and residents to connect with the environment. These places could offer respite and relaxation in a busy urban area, or could be active areas of recreation and relating to water. Did you know there used to be a public swimming area here until 1965? Did you know that the stream is also prone to some flooding? How can this area be of mutual benefit and attraction to people, the environment, and the District’s infrastructure?
• The precinct is close to key transport connections, including State Highway 1 and the Rose Street Bus Hub. It also has the train line running through it, so could this mean a passenger train stop in future? However, even now, we know access, including car parking, is a concern for people. How could people connect with the area if there were new activities such as tertiary education and a theatre provided on site?
• The Central Library and Forum North are cornerstones of community life in Whangārei for some people and groups. We recognise the ongoing need to support our local community. How can we manage this and still provide for other community needs, including tertiary education, which may not be fully provided for?
• Whangārei has a strong identity and history, and the precinct is important to lots of people. What stories or histories are important to you, and how can we recognise that in future planning for the area? 

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