Turning hopes and dreams into actions and results: Whangamata, a case study of community planning in a coastal area

People who live in Whangamata are grappling with the same problems as many other New Zealanders who inhabit beautiful coastal landscapes. Their local environment and the town's infrastructure are under intense pressure, not least from the swarms of visitors who put considerable demands on it but depart without contributing, via rates, to the amenities that service the town.

Whangamata people, however, have taken a giant step towards resolving their environmental problems by creating a Community Plan that aims to give all stakeholders a voice in the long-term future of the area.

It is in the nature of environmental problems that there are no quick fixes, so our responses must be integrated and sustained as populations and technologies change. Many of Whangamata's challenges can only be resolved by changes in the whole catchment. A Community Plan is the ideal vehicle for this and I congratulate the people of Whangamata, and the staff and councillors of the Thames Coromandel District Council and Environment Waikato for their goodwill in creating it.

Nevertheless, good intentions must be put into practice. It would be fair to say that, after a promising start, the plan has appeared to stall and our investigation has highlighted several areas of concern in its implementation.

Firstly, everyone must understand from the outset the legal, environmental and financial contexts. Secondly, the plan must sit comfortably with the other layers of local government so that everyone is aware of its strengths and limitations. Thirdly, it needs a champion so that what should happen, does happen.

Above all, it needs to endure and evolve. A Community Plan is no place for sprinters - marathon runners are needed to monitor the environment, conduct the science, keep abreast of the legislation, and understand the local history.

It is now time to breathe new life into the Whangamata Community Plan. I hope that this study is a catalyst for the people of Whangamata to persevere with the plan, and to continue to chart a more sustainable future for their own enchanting part of New Zealand.