Territorial authority leaders in Northland are optimistic about future growth in their districts despite a report that predicts stagnant or falling populations in many regions will put pressure on infrastructure funding.
The Maxim Institute's report said populations in about 44 of the country's 67 authorities would stagnate or decline within 30 years, placing them under severe financial strain as they try to pay for infrastructure.
While centres such as Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Nelson and Queenstown are set for growth, the report painted a bleak picture for most other areas such as Kaipara, Whangarei and the Far North.
The report said the Government's regional development programmes focused solely on economic growth - but the population trends posed a big challenge on that front.
Far North deputy mayor Tania McInnes said such long-range predictions were especially vulnerable to disruptive technologies and events.
"Population projections for the Far North show slow but steady growth over the next 10 to 15 years. The challenge for the Far North District Council will be to spread that growth across urban centres and remote rural communities," Ms McInnes said.
She said FNDC has identified strong potential in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and tourism industries and was working hard to improve infrastructure.
Kaipara mayor Greg Gent said no one knew what the world would look like in the next 30 years.
"The speed of change in this day and age is enormous. We all fear change in demographics but we deal with it one way or the other," he said.
Mr Gent said Kaipara offered a lot of positives for the ageing population such as health services, transportation, close proximity to Auckland and quieter lifestyle.
Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai said as pressure grew in Auckland, people were starting to find Whangarei very attractive.
She said data provided to the Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs last week noted Whangarei's population of 87,640 was expected to rise to 90,890 by 2023 - ahead of Whangarei District Council's growth predictions.
"We plan and prepare for infrastructure investment for all ages and keep a close eye on trends. We have high-quality information in front of us and we use it to inform our decisions," she said.