The built environment

15. The built environment

This section identifies resource management issues of regional significance, which have their primary effect on Taranaki's built environment. The term 'built environment' refers to all those structures, facilities and other physical resources built by people. It includes urban and rural settlements, telecommunication and utility networks, transportation systems, sewerage and water systems, dams and flood control structures, and recreational facilities.

Resource management issues of regional significance relating to the Taranaki region's built environment are grouped under the headings of:

• promoting sustainable urban development
• providing for regionally significant infrastructure.

There is a close relationship between these two issues and a number of the methods of implementation of the policies are common to both issues.

15.1 Promoting sustainable urban development
Background to the issue
Urban sustainability is defined as a process of managing urban change to improve the quality of life by delivering better social, environmental and economic outcomes for all people in the present and in the future.

Urban development in Taranaki is concentrated around New Plymouth and its peri-urban areas and a number of smaller towns including Hawera, Stratford, Waitara, Inglewood, Opunake and Patea. The concentration of population in New Plymouth and smaller urban settlements, combined with the sparse distribution in other parts of the region, has implications for access, the utilisation and management of natural and physical resources and the delivery of services. Decisions about the location of activities and the form (shape of settlements) and density (distribution of activities and their interrelationships) are major influences on the social, cultural and economic well-being of people and communities and on sustainable resource use.

It is generally recognised that there is a need to create and maintain urban environments that are sustainable, function well, are accessible, and provide a safe, healthy and stimulating environment. In so doing, those who live in and visit urban areas value them. Conversely, uncoordinated development or insufficient or poor quality development can result in a range of effects including traffic congestion, reduced amenity values, unsustainable energy use, overloaded urban infrastructure (water supply, wastewater treatment, transport, energy, and housing), a lack of distinctive identity, social isolation and, in some cases health issues.

The significant issue in relation to promoting sustainable urban development in Taranaki is:

Objective

SUD OBJECTIVE 1

To promote sustainable urban development in the Taranaki region.

Policy
Sustainable urban development

SUD POLICY 1

To promote sustainable development in urban areas by:

(a)     encouraging high quality urban design, including the maintenance and enhancement of amenity values;

(b)     promoting choices in housing, work place and recreation opportunities;

(c)     promoting energy efficiency in urban forms, site layout and building design;

(d)     providing for regionally significant infrastructure;

(e)     integrating the maintenance, upgrading or provision of infrastructure with land use;

(f)      integrating transport networks, connections and modes to enable the sustainable and efficient movement of people, goods and services, encouraging travel choice and low-impact forms of travel including opportunities for walking, cycling and public transport;

(g)     promoting the maintenance, enhancement or protection of land, air and water resources within urban areas or affected by urban activities;

(h)     protecting indigenous biodiversity and historic heritage; and

(i)     avoiding or mitigating natural and other hazards.

Explanation of the policy

Policy 1 identifies qualities and attributes that contribute to sustainable urban development. These qualities and attributes collectively promote sustainable management of natural and physical resources and the social, cultural and economic well-being of people living in urban areas.

Policy 1(a) incorporates concepts of aesthetically pleasing, stimulating and vibrant urban forms and building designs that also function safely and efficiently. High quality urban design creates pleasant living environments free of nuisance arising from excessive traffic, noise, odours and contaminants. This will include the need to avoid encroachment of sensitive activities into rural areas that may result in reverse sensitivity effects on established and legitimate rural activities. It also involves design features aimed at maintaining and further enhancing amenity values. Policy 1(b) seeks to promote a range of housing, employment and recreation opportunities to meet the diverse needs of residents. Policy 1(c) recognises that gains in energy efficiency can be made through urban form, site layout and building design.

The integration of infrastructure with land use (Policy 1(d)) seeks to ensure that adverse effects on the environment do not arise from inadequate infrastructure (such as stormwater sewerage, water or roading infrastructure). This may be achieved through infrastructure planning, land use controls, or a combination of both. The integration of transport networks and modes (Policy 1(e)) can promote sustainable development in urban areas by enhancing accessibility and social interaction, promoting health and safety and reducing environmental impacts. Policy 1(f) seeks to promote sustainable development in urban areas by maintaining, enhancing or protecting natural resources such as land and soil resources, air quality and waterways and wetlands in urban areas while Policy 1(g) recognises that protecting historic heritage such as historic buildings or places, archaeological sites and wāhi tapu in urban areas is also an important part of sustainable urban development. Under Policy 1(h) development in urban areas should seek to avoid or mitigate natural and other hazards.

Related policies

All policies in Sections 5.1 [Soil erosion]; Section 5.2 [Soil health]; Section 5.3 [Hazardous substances and contaminated sites]; Section 6.1 [Surface water allocation]; Section 6.2 [Surface water quality]; Section 6.4 [Wetlands]; Section 6.5 [Land drainage and associated diversions]; Section 6.6 [Use of river and lake beds]; Section 6.7 [Public access to rivers and lakes]; Section 7.1 [Air quality]; Section 8.1 [Natural character of the coastal environment]; Section 8.2 [Coastal water quality]; Section 8.3 [Public access to the coastal environment]; Policies 1 and 2 in Section 9.1 [Indigenous biodiversity]; all policies in Section 10.1 [Outstanding natural features and landscapes]; Section 10.2 [Historic heritage]; Section 10.3 [Amenity values];  Section 14 [Energy]; Section 15.2 [Regionally significant infrastructure]; and Section 16 [Issues of significance to iwi].

Methods of implementation

The Taranaki Regional Council will:

Territorial authorities may wish to consider the following methods:

Principal reasons for adopting the objective, policies and methods

The objective, policies and methods establish a policy framework for the promotion of sustainable urban development in the Taranaki region. Their aim is to address the adverse effects of urban development or associated with a lack of urban development.

Through the implementation of the policies and methods, the Council can promote sustainable urban development. The policies and methods build on current approaches. They have proven to be successful to date in terms of achieving desired environmental outcomes and are considered appropriate having regard to their efficiency and effectiveness and their benefits and costs.

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