Tauranga City Council Urban Design Framework
Independent Contractor, 2021 - 2022
I was commissioned by TCC to assess existing methods for promoting quality urban design in Tauranga, leading to the recommendation for a more comprehensive urban design framework. Key suggestions for this framework included - creating an urban design panel, incorporating urban design policy into the city plan, raising awareness through educational materials, and establishing dedicated internal resources to deliver the framework. The Tauranga City Council Urban Design Framework Plan was approved in early 2021 and since this time a number of measures have been undertaken in response to framework initiatives:
- The Tauranga Urban Design Panel was established in 2022 and has been active since early 2023.
- Urban design was incorporated into the residential and city centre chapters of the city plan through Plan Change 33 - Enabling Housing Suppy (operative in 2024) and is being incorporated into the commercial and industrial chapters through Proposed Plan Change 38 - Business Land Framework.
- An urban design marketing and communications strategy has been developed and is currently being implemented by Council to continue to promote the benefits of urban design within Council and the wider development community.
- TCC have a dedicated urban designer leading the urban design panel and representing urban design through the resource consenting process.