Opportunity for community to engage with Westport Master Planning

Next week marks the second round of Design Workshops for Westport’s Master Planning process.  

Led by Buller District Council, the Master Planning process seeks to provide a holistic road map for the community, public and private sector on Westport’s future growth. It will guide the development of areas of land for future use, creating greater choice for the community around lower-risk areas.  

Stakeholder workshops held in April aimed to test the early planning assumptions with a range of Westport locals. Around 65 people participated, and the workshops which were facilitated by planning and urban design experts, Isthmus, were positively received. When surveyed afterwards, all responses indicated an interest in staying involved in the process.   

The second round of engagement (Design Week Two) will see a series of workshops undertaken between 27 and 29 May in Westport. Some will involve those who attended the first round of workshops, but others will cater to those who would like to participate now and going forward.  

Three identical workshops will be held over three days, where the findings and learnings from the first round of workshops will be shared and participants will see how their inputs and local knowledge have shaped the early thinking. They will be themed around settlement patterns and their role in the district’s growth and the role of Westport as a service town for the area. Crucial to the work is that any growth aligns with what makes Westport, Westport. 

On Wednesday 29 May, the wider community is invited to attend an informal drop-in session. This will be an opportunity for the community to meet the team, look through and discuss workshop content, and provide feedback. During the drop-in session, individuals have the opportunity to register for newsletters and project updates, as well as learn how to get involved in the project.   

The drop-in is on Wednesday 29 May from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at EPIC Westport.  

Anyone interested in attending a workshop can email: master.planning@bdc.govt.nz to find out more.  

Workshops are scheduled to take place every six weeks for the coming months to ensure ongoing local engagement in this ‘once in a generation’ planning process. Wider community engagement is envisioned further down the line.   

-ENDS- 

For further information please contact:  
Amanda South  
Senior Communications Advisor   
Resilient Westport   
media@resilientwestport.co.nz