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Urban design and development

New Zealand is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with 86 per cent of us living in urban areas. International research confirms that those urban communities which are distinctive, well managed, creative, inclusive, liveable and environmentally responsible tend to offer a higher quality of life.

To achieve these attributes of successful towns and cities, central and local government agencies, local communities and businesses will need to work together with high levels of collaboration and understanding.

What are we seeking to achieve?

Longer term outcome

  • Urban centres that are prosperous, desirable and environmentally responsible.

What will we do to achieve this?

The primary focus over the next three years will be working towards:

  • national guidance on urban design

  • promoting and administering the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol by providing a national resource of tools, actions and experiences for signatories to share and recruiting new signatories

  • contributing to the sustainable development and transformation of Auckland.

Primarily through the Government Urban and Economic Development Office (GUEDO) and in collaboration with councils of the Auckland region, the Ministry is contributing to Auckland’s One Plan, Auckland’s Regional Growth Strategy, the Tamaki regeneration project, Auckland Waterfront, and other key economic transformation projects in Auckland.

In addition the Ministry will:

  • support the implementation of recommendations to better integrate transport and land-use planning and investment

  • participate in the Foundation of Research Science and Technology’s review of its urban investment priorities

  • contribute to ongoing key central government policy development that has a high impact on the urban environment

  • assess the efficacy of establishing an urban development agency.

How will we demonstrate success?

The Ministry will use aspects of the Quality of Life Reports about 12 of New Zealand’s cities to measure progress towards the longer term outcome. The Quality of Life Project provides social, economic and environmental indicators of quality of life in New Zealand’s largest cities.

We need to undertake further work on urban design and development outcomes and measures. We expect that this will inform future strategy, monitoring and evaluation within this area. Some key questions for evaluating our activity include:

  • Are Urban Design Protocol signatories sufficiently supported?

  • Is urban design sufficiently promoted?

  • Is national guidance on urban design sufficient to enable stakeholders to create quality urban design?

  • Is the Ministry recognised as positively participating in, and supporting, key Economic Transformation (Auckland) projects that promote Auckland as an internationally competitive world-class city-region?

  • Are urban issues recognised, considered and integrated by central government agencies in their decision-making?

Further work will be needed to assess the most appropriate evaluation method to answer these questions.

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