TOP STORY: Tauranga growth outstrips big cities

By David Dunham
Tauranga is the second-fastest growing city in New Zealand, outstripping Auckland and Wellington in the past five years.
The Western Bay district has also had a population boom, the 2006 Census has revealed.
The city's population increased by 12,720 people, or 14 per cent, between 2001 to 2006 - a rate bettered only by Manukau City (16.2 per cent).
Tauranga's growth rate was ahead of Auckland City (10 per cent), Hamilton (11.2 per cent), Wellington (9.5 per cent) and North Shore (11.2 per cent).
But while Tauranga's population in continues to increase, the rate of growth between 2001 and 2006 was 2.9 per cent lower than during the previous census period of 1996 to 2001.
The city's population is listed as 103,635, compared with 90,912 in 2001 and 77,781 in 1996.
Mayor Stuart Crosby was not surprised by the Census figures. "Tauranga has been growing at a constant rate since the 1920s.
"There are a host of reasons why people are coming here but the overall impression is that it is a beautiful place to live, there are a lot of natural attributes and a great lifestyle," he said.
The Western Bay district's population has increased 10.1 per cent since 2001 compared with a 9.3 per cent rise from 1996 to 2001.
There are now 42,075 people living in the district; there were 38,229 in 2001 and 34,965 in 1996.
The growth rate in the past five years is the ninth highest of New Zealand's 57 Census districts and is higher than Rotorua (2.2 per cent) and Whakatane (1.3 per cent) but well behind leader Queenstown-Lakes (34.7 per cent).
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Graeme Weld said the population growth presented a challenge of ensuring the infrastructure to cope with it was in place.
"I think we have got a fair grip on it through SmartGrowth and working with Tauranga City Council and the regional council.
"I am not sure if the growth is a good or bad thing. But we can not stop it, we have to live with it," Mr Weld said.
Bay of Plenty had the second-highest resident increase in the North Island in the past five years and the fifth-highest in the country. The 7.5 per cent increase is only behind Auckland (12.4 per cent), Canterbury (8.4 per cent) and Tasman (7.9 per cent) and Marlborough (7.6 per cent).
Census snapshot:
* Tauranga's population is 103,635, making it the ninth-largest city in the country behind Auckland, Christchurch, Manukau, North Shore, Waitakere, Wellington, Hamilton and Dunedin.
* Growth areas include Hairini, up 1338 to 5208; Palm Springs, up 1152 to 3093; Pyes Pa, up 1140 to 2943; Bethlehem East, up 855 to 3090; Welcome Bay East, up 507 to 3069; and Doncaster, up 492 to 1449.
* Areas of decline are few. They are Te Reti, a drop of 51 residents to 1605, the Tauranga Harbour inlet, a fall of nine to 18, and Tauranga city marinas, a fall of nine to 60.
* Growth areas in Western Bay of Plenty District include Katikati (up 663 to 3579); Minden (up 573 to 3675); Kamais (up 510 to 4713); and Omokoroa (up 237 to 1968).
* Population has declined on Matakana Island, which now has a population of 225, 66 fewer than in 2001 and Waihi Beach has dropped by 138 to 1773.