Master Planning

Buller District Council has decided to endorse Westport’s Master Plan at its 26 March 2025 meeting. The decision means that the work can continue on implementing elements of the Master Plan.

At the meeting, the Master Plan’s principle content and strategies are endorsed. Whilst not, unanimous, the majority of Councillors voted to proceed with:

• seeking external seed funding
• progressing negotiations with Landcorp/Pāmu to gain access to land identified in the Plan for future growth
• investigating the establishment of the Special Purpose Vehicle.

The engagement report was noted as was the intention of the plan for betterment of the Central Business District of Westport, and that further initiatives to activate that will be actioned, pending funding streams.

At yesterday’s meeting, there were impassioned deputations from members of the public many of whom expressed disagreement with the Plan. A recurring theme was national media reporting and some discussion panels that state the Master Plan proposes moving Westport, which is not the case.

Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine says misinformation and misunderstanding about what the Plan intends for Westport is an ongoing issue.

“To clarify, the Master Plan does not propose moving Westport or abandoning Westport as it stands. That has never been the Plan, and it is unhelpful dialogue, which is creating anxiety for people in the community. The Master Plan is about thinking about the future of Westport - how and where it will grow. Being proactive rather than reactive.

“Master Planning allows for controlled growth near Westport in a pre-determined area with a low risk of hazard exposure. It also means that should there be another natural disaster, people have the choice of rebuilding or relocating to a lower risk area that is still very close to the town,” says Mayor Cleine.

Some councillors mirrored the concerns of some of the members of the public as well as highlighting the need for public consultation now or in the future and certainty over future funding.

“This is a complex and significant subject that has ignited passion in the community, and I acknowledge some people have felt forgotten in the discussion.

“Council doesn’t have all the necessary answers now, but is this Master Planning a pathway to create those answers, and a glimmer of hope to try and create those answers? Then, absolutely, yes,” says Mayor Cleine.

“For now, we will continue with the resolutions as agreed on the understanding that the Master Planning will be consulted on more widely if required as it goes along, particularly where there are financial impacts for ratepayers.

“To move ahead at present has limited financial impact on ratepayers. The Buller District Council has set aside $130,000 in funding for Climate Change Adaption and that can be reclassified to provide seed funding. This means that conversations with Pāmu can continue as can work to seek government and external funding,” says Mayor Cleine.

The Westport Master Plan will go before Buller District councillors next week seeking endorsement to take the next steps. Councillors can either decide to discontinue work on Master Planning or facilitate a range of activities to move it forward. This includes permission to seek external seed funding, progress discussions with Pāmu (Landcorp) and investigate the establishment of the Special Purpose Vehicle to implement the next steps.

Council will also hear the results of a four-week long engagement with the local community on the Draft Plan. In total, 126 people submitted on the Draft Plan with most coming via the BDC Let’s Talk online engagement tool. The engagement ran between 10 February and 10 March - 18 submissions were hand-written and collected at either the library in Westport or the Resilient Westport office. The project team engaged with over 620 individuals through various community events and venues, with a strong focus on direct engagement and community outreach.

Buller District Council Chief Executive Simon Pickford says overall, there appeared to be a solid level of support for the plan, with relevant concerns raised throughout the process.

“When asked if they agree with the approach to planning for Westport’s future growth and development, 77% of respondents indicated they either agree or strongly agree (15.9 % agree, 61.1% strongly agree) with the approach. Participants were given the opportunity to offer additional thoughts or ideas and 62 per cent of respondents did so.

“Overall it was a positive result, with many community members recognising the importance of proactive planning and noting the plan was well thought out, visionary and necessary for Westport's future. Some concerns were also noted, including the need for more information on how the plan would evolve in the future. Participants touched on economic considerations, funding priorities, affordability, the environment around the proposed development site and the Plan’s long-term impact on businesses and homeowners.

“It has always been understood that the Master Plan holds opportunities and challenges for the Westport community, and these are the factors that councillors will be considering next week. If the Plan is endorsed, this marks the close of the Resilient Westport funded element of Master Planning (funded until the end of April) and the start of Phase Three, which would be Council-led. It’s important to note that progression from here is primarily about external funding. The endorsement being sought involves permission to seek external funding and support to continue the work.

However, a small amount of funding has been included in the Year 1 of the draft Long-Term Plan (LTP) to support initial engagement and negotiations to maintain momentum,” says Mr Pickford.