Tasman’s towns and villages are places where we live, work, shop, and come together.

Feedback on the late 2022 public engagement round of the TEP has closed.

We’ve put together summaries of our towns and villages describing the specific issues and our ideas for the future.

Did you know?

Tasman District has 16 towns and villages, plus a large number of other residential clusters in mainly rural locations. We want you to help shape the future or these special places including:

Brightwater Motueka and Riwaka Richmond
Collingwood
Murchison St Arnaud
Kaiteriteri
Pōhara Tākaka
Māpua and Te Mamaku/Ruby Bay
Upper Moutere Tapawera
Mārahau
Wakefield Tasman

Click on the links in the side menu to find out more about our towns and villages. Please note Māpua and Pōhara are not included in this round of community engagement (see the section 'Some important things about Māpua, Tākaka, Richmond and Pōhara' below).


The iwi of Te Tau Ihu

Tasman region is home to the following iwi:

  • Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu
  • Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui
  • Ngāti Rārua
  • Ngāti Kōata
  • Ngāti Toa Rangatira
  • Ngāti Kuia
  • Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō
  • Rangitāne o Wairau.

Tasman District covers the north-western part of the Ngāi Tahu tribal area. Murchison is within the Ngāi Tahu area and Ngāti Waewae are the hapū.

Partnership work with iwi is underway to:

  • Identify and map places of significance across Tasman, which builds on the 550 cultural sites listed in the current plan, and
  • Develop policy and rule support for papakāinga development, kaitiakitanga, recognition of Statutory Acknowledgements, Areas of Association and Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement legislation.

This information will feed into how we plan and manage our towns and villages, along with other areas and values that are of significance to iwi in our district. We are working with our iwi and hapū partners throughout the development of the TEP.


In Tasman, we are striving to ensure that our towns and villages are well designed, safe and easy to get around, now and in the future. To do this, our new plan will respond to and address the following for each of our towns and villages:

Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy 2022– 2052 (FDS)

The FDS is a 30-year high-level plan that outlines areas in our district (and Nelson) where future housing and business growth is likely to occur. The TEP will implement the FDS through a detailed assessment of the FDS locations and ultimately re-zoning where the sites are appropriate. Get more information on the Future Development Strategy.

Climate change mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions)

How our towns and villages function can contribute to stabilising and reducing our emissions. Locally, transport is a key contributor. Our new plan can promote compact urban form that minimises the need for car travel and promote the use of public transport, walking, and cycling. Emissions can also be reduced through promoting net-zero carbon buildings, use of renewable energy technologies, planting trees in our green spaces, and reducing our waste to landfill.

Climate change adaptation

Our towns and villages need to be prepared for a future of changing climate. Climate change is impacting our communities, especially those in low-lying areas, and we need to adapt and plan development so that climate change risks are reduced or avoided. Future communities must be located in areas where risks from climate change can be effectively managed, and any further development of existing communities must not put more people in harm’s way. The Council’s Coastal Management Project is a key work programme that will inform the TEP.

Attractiveness of our centres

We know that retail services are under increasing pressure. We need to find ways to attract people into our town and village centres even though they may be purchasing through the internet. This may be through landscape and streetscape initiatives, protecting and enhancing heritage buildings and trees, and by adding new experiences to our urban places.

Connectedness

To function well, all of our towns and villages must have great design and prioritise the ability of people to get around by foot and cycle.

We are currently undertaking a structure plan process (including engagement) for Māpua, and so we have not included a summary for Māpua here. Please see our website for information and to get involved in that process.

We will also be soon commencing detailed structure plan work for Tākaka and Richmond. These are collaborative processes between Council, iwi, stakeholders, and the community that will build on the FDS to provide a more detailed vision for these towns. The structure plan, sometimes called a master plan, will shape what goes into the new Tasman Environment Plan. See our website for more details on Reimagining Richmond South project which will feed into the wider Richmond Structure Plan process. You can also sign up to find out more information or get involved in the structure plan processes on the Richmond and Tākaka feedback pages.

In this round of engagement we haven’t included a summary for Pōhara. Our current planning provisions include Pōhara in an area called "Tākaka-Eastern Golden Bay”. Going forward in the TEP, we’re proposing to review Pōhara as a coastal village. We’ll be in touch in 2023 with more information and to seek your ideas for the future of Pōhara.

Please note: Feedback and submissions are public documents

All feedback and submissions, including submitters' names, may be made available to Councillors and the public on our website, at Council offices and libraries. A summary of submissions may also be made publicly available and posted on the Council’s website. Learn more about it.