Community Board News

We are very lucky to live in a small town in New Zealand that has so much to offer. As our popularity and population grows so do the pressures on our infrastructure and resources. The Community Board has undertaken discussion around the pressures on the town from a planning point of view. We have listened to formal and anecdotal evidence that suggest that there is pressure from development on several areas of the town.

There are several areas of concern to the board
• The town boundary and pressure for residential growth. The tight rules of the special rural zone and outdated town boundaries are hampering well planned and considered growth near to the town.
• The commercial zone rules appear to allow industrial style and scale buildings inside the CBD. Our commercial zone should allow for business to grow while maintaining active, pedestrian friendly streets. Modern buildings need to sit well with our heritage town centre precinct.
• There seems to be a lack of a zoned industrial area outside the town boundary – with the growth of the town it would seem sensible to allow for some rules that would plan for the inevitable growth in this area.
For this reason we have recommended that the SWDC takes a full review of the district plan in relation to Martinborough. We would like to see a full and robust consultation around this review with the views of our residents sought and considered prior to a draft document being developed.
Our goal is for a sustainable, well considered and planned future for the town with a plan that is owned by the community.
Victoria Read
Please note: I personally have a conflict of interest with regard to point 1 above – the views expressed here are the views of the board and I will abstain from discussion or voting on this issue in the board room.