Where the streets have new names: Whanganui road naming panel approved by council

A road naming panel will help ensure the progress of names for streets in Whanganui's new subdivisions. Photo / Bevan Conley

The names of Whanganui's newest streets will now be decided by a road naming panel.

The establishment of the panel is part of a new policy Whanganui District Council adopted in December after discussions with Te Rūnanga o Tūpoho and the Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiation Trust where a set of rules for acceptable road names was agreed on.

The panel consists of two representatives of Te Rūnanga O Tūpoho, Whanganui's mayor or an appointee, and two community representatives. The panel would be supported by an officer from the council planning team.

Whanganui Regional Museum director Dr Bronwyn Labrum and theatre director and heritage building restorer Kerry Girdwood have accepted invitations to join the panel as community representatives.

The council's principal planner, Gavin McCullagh, said the establishment of the panel was essential to ensure the progress of new road names for present and future subdivisions.

"We have a number of new roads that need naming in order to progress our subdivision processes," he said.

Councillor Josh Chandulal-Mackay asked McCullagh how the panel would enhance road naming.

McCullagh said it was important all potential sensitivities were considered in the process and the panel would enable wider community input.

"It ensures that we have sensible, relevant, meaningful names for our new roads."

The panel process would also ensure not too much time would be spent going backwards and forwards between stakeholders, he said.

The panel would have the ability to consider names submitted by developers, iwi representatives and the community. It would also consider renaming proposals as they arose.

Last year Pākura Place and Tīwai Place in the new Mill Rd subdivision became the first new Whanganui road signs to include macrons for correct te reo Māori pronunciation. The names were requested by mana whenua Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi and Te Runanga o Tupoho.

Macron use aligns with the vision of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's Te Ara Kotahi – Māori Strategy, which includes values and principles that promote te reo Māori, Māori perspectives, tīkanga (customs) and kawa (protocols).

Allengate Rd, the third new road in the subdivision, was requested by the developer and recalls the earliest subdivision of the area when the land was part of the Allengate Estate in the township of Mosston.