Tāngata Whenua Perspectives on Growth Management



Tāngata whenua perspectives on growth management extend beyond cultural matters or wellbeing and instead inter-twine across the social, environmental, cultural and economic spheres as shown in the diagram.

For more click here - UFTI Tāngata Whenua Perspectives on Growth Management



Priority Focus 1:


Development of Māori Land and Papakāinga
Developing Māori land is time consuming and challenging because of the large number of people and organisations involved with separate processes and compliance standards. The process recognises the joint customary ownership complexities and nuances of Māori freehold land that create additional hurdles and costs for whānau to meet compared with the relative ease of building homes on an individual freehold title.

The SmartGrowth Tu Pakari team are working on a number of initiatives to support development of Māori Land and Papakāinga:

Direct engagement with Māori Land Trusts and identifying housing aspirations.






  • Significant focus this year on connecting with Māori Land Trusts and identifying housing aspirations.
  • Facilitating the formation of Ara Rau Tāngata Inc Society.
  • Connecting engagement outcomes with the Tāngata Whenua Spatial Planning work programme.  
  • Active involvement within the SmartGrowth Housing Action Plan and Priority Development Area working groups.

Te Keteparaha mō ngā Papakāinga (Māori Housing Toolkit)

This toolkit is a step-by-step guide designed to assist Māori to develop papakāinga proposals (development plan) on multiple owned Māori land. The concept of papakāinga is not new and has traditionally been associated with Māori housing in a Marae setting. Papakāinga includes other activities such as: kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa, health clinic, horticulture or agriculture land uses, sports and/or recreational areas, urupā and heritage sites etc.

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Priority Focus 2: Tāngata Whenua Spatial Planning


The goal of Tāngata Whenua Spatial Planning (TWSP) is to collect, collate, analyse, map and document the future aspirations of tāngata whenua in relation to the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region.

We need to link with hapū, iwi, marae committees and Māori Land entities to answer the following:

  1. What are the key values or principals that underpin and guide our spatial planning?
  2. What will the sub-region look like in the long term, from a tāngata whenua perspective?
  3. What is the tāngata whenua strategic direction or vision for the sub-region?
  4. What are the steps required to achieve this strategic direction or vision?

The outputs for this project will be used to guide and influence:

  • Future SmartGrowth Strategies and Plans and investment by local and central government.
  • Projects and work programmes led by hapū and Iwi within their respective rohe (e.g. hapū/iwi management plans).
  • The review of, and future changes to, the City and District Plans.
  • Future engagement and/or capability building with tāngata whenua.

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