Governance and the Foundations of Hikurangi’s Placemaking Journey

Article 2 in the Hikurangi Placemaking Plan Series

In this next article in our Hikurangi Placemaking Plan series, it’s important we take a step back so we can move forward.

Before there were placemaking plans, there were district spatial plans. The Hikurangi Business Association (HBA) had been pushing for a long time to get a plan in place for Hikurangi, with members volunteering their time to knock on Council doors and chase progress for the future development of our town.

The HBA was staunch in its desire to see a proper plan and development put in place for our community. They hosted community‑level meetings with Council to engage stakeholders and structure how we would design a community placemaking plan. As one of the first communities to make a placemaking plan, Hikurangi became part of the Whangārei District Council’s Placemaking Programme, which creates 20–30 year spatial plans for key growth areas across the district. Hikurangi was identified as a moderate growth node, projected to grow from 3,313 residents in 2021 to over 5,000 by 2051.

A working group was formed, made up of volunteers from across the community and local organisations. They brought together consultation sessions where Council listened to community priorities, which were then turned into the plan we have today.

The Governance Gap left after the Placemaking Plan Was Delivered

Once the plan was completed and the working group disbanded, the Hikurangi Business Association realised there was a gap in understanding how things were being delivered. Council passed the plan out to its departments for adoption into their work programmes, but there was no collective feedback loop back to Hikurangi. For example, bus stop upgrades were scheduled within transport work programmes, but the community wasn’t told how or when these priorities were being addressed.

The question remained: How do we know it’s being achieved?

Volunteers continued emailing Council to chase updates, but this approach was unsustainable. To truly create a great place to live, work and play, the HBA recognised the need for a stronger governance structure.

Recognising the Need for Governance and a Funded Role

The HBA realised that all of our community groups had a stake in this, and a unified voice was needed. To do this properly, it required a funded role, not just volunteers. This was the first key evolution: recognising that we needed governance and resourcing to progress our priorities.

Four groups with constitutions aligned to making Hikurangi a better place came together to form the Hikurangi Community Development Group (HCDG). Governance was critical here:

• Only groups with a constitution and purpose centred on community development were included.

• This ensured decision‑making was transparent, accountable, and focused on Hikurangi’s progression.

The HCDG then employed one person to progress the key development areas of Hikurangi and keep Council accountable.

(Note: The HCDG is formally a sub‑committee of the HBA to ensure compliance with robust governance processes. However, it operates independently in decision‑making, with the four community groups providing feedback channels from their members.)

Funding and Building the Role

When initially considering how to fund the role, council was approached to see if they would invest in community partnership as a way of following through with relationship building and collaborative planning following the shared Placemaking Plan vision. Eventually council agreed it was worth a kick-start investment which funded the first years’ worth of wages whilst alternate funders were liaised with.

Over time, the funding has been diversified, and the role has evolved into what is now (in 2026) the Community Development Coordinator. This role ensures Hikurangi’s placemaking plan is actively delivered, priorities are tracked, and our town continues to grow as a great place to live, work and play.

The Community Development Group whom the development coordinator reports, originally met monthly, but now operates efficiently through its own meetings and a digital management structure, ensuring priorities are monitored and fed back to the community.

A Shift in Mindset: Community‑Led Direction

The next major shift occurred when Hikurangi decided not to wait for Council to act, but to lead. Instead of asking, “What are you doing for us?” the community began saying:

“This is what we want, can you support it?”

This marked a change in kaupapa: the placemaking plan is not something others do for us. It is our plan that we help direct and action.

Why Governance Matters

Good governance underpins all of this. It ensures:

• Decisions are transparent and accountable

• Funding is managed responsibly

• Community voices are represented

• The placemaking plan is actively delivered

• Hikurangi’s priorities remain front and centre

  
  

Governance is what connects the HBA’s early advocacy, the working group’s volunteer energy, and the HCDG’s structured leadership into a cohesive story. It is the reason Hikurangi’s placemaking plan continues to be more than a document, it is a living roadmap.

Next in the Series

Our next article will take a look at placemaking plans from Council’s perspective, and how they are now integrating them into their work planning. Missed the first article in this series? Catch up here: Have you read the Hikurangi Placemaking Plan?