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A Tauranga Moana iwi leader says Māori landowners are critical to the further development of the region.
In a newspaper opinion piece, Buddy Mikaere says Tauranga and Mount Maunganui are attractive as residential destinations, but the city has run out of easily developable land.
The shambolic nature of land confiscations in the 1860s and after forced Māori to the outskirts of the fledgeling city of Tauranga and it is now those lands that have become the new focus for acquisition and development – but Māori land trusts are reluctant if not adamantly opposing to sell.
He says councils and their planners need to start discussions with the trusts to explore new models which allow for development while protecting Māori ownership, such as long-term leases.
They also need to extend water and wastewater services past the city edge.
The alternative is intensification, with the city already planning for more apartments and townhouse developments along the Te Papa peninsula.
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