Development pressure could outstrip council ambitions for well-crafted housing intensification at two key coastal junctions in Papamoa East. That was the warning delivered by planning consultant Craig Batchelar who fears things might not go the way the council wants at the Papamoa Beach Rd intersections with Domain Rd and Parton Rd. Landaround the two junctions, within a radius of about 500m, has been earmarked for residential intensification in SmartGrowth - the plan to prevent the spread of Tauranga on to arable farmland. But the combination of beach lifestyle, proximity of shops and big blocks of vacant land meant development could take off much earlier than the council's 2008 intensification timetable. Mr Batchelar said significant development was likely to take place within the next two years. Waiting until 2008 risked creating a problem that could be avoided. "The developments could be pretty conventional stuff - it could be a missed opportunity," Mr Batchelar said. He urged the council to take the lead and bring forward the two areas into the current Smart Living Places intensification planning. Tauranga councillor Greg Brownless told a recent 2005-06 annual plan meeting that Parton Rd had the potential to become a hotch-potch. Cr David Stewart said the longer they waited, the harder it would become to get involved. The private sector could work alongside the council to progress intensification planning, he said. Mr Batchelar said planning needed to be driven by getting agreement on the big-picture vision, rather than a bottom-up rules-driven approach such as changes in density requirements. This vision would add context to whatever happened on the land. The end result could be greatly influenced by creating greater awareness of better urban design, he said. There was a growing interest in the two areas and market expectations were high following the intensification flagged by SmartGrowth. The two junctions are among a large number of intensification nodes anticipated by SmartGrowth - mostly around Tauranga's main downtown and suburban shopping centres. Mr Batchelar said none of the other areas had the vacant land around them.
