District Wide Spatial Strategy
Te Rautaki Mokowā ā Rohe – the District Wide Spatial Strategy (DWSS) is a long-term plan (30 years) that guides how the Far North will manage growth, regeneration, economic change, wellbeing and environmental resilience.
It will set a clear district‑wide direction land use, housing, infrastructure, and places to meet community aspirations over the long-term (30+ years). It will be technically robust to support future planning, including integration into the future Northland Regional Spatial Plan, Long Term Plans and Infrastructure Plans.
Why do we need a spatial strategy?
The Far North faces unique challenges such as uneven population growth, socio economic deprivation, service gaps, natural hazards, and infrastructure constraints. The strategy provides a clear, districtwide plan to address these issues, build resilience, and make sure investment goes where it's most needed.
The strategy is likely to have the following focus areas:
- Supporting well-planned growth in key settlements while protecting highly productive land and sensitive environments
- Supporting Māori aspirations, including economic and infrastructure development, housing, skills and training, land development and cultural landscape protection
- Aligning land use with infrastructure capacity and future investment priorities
- Enabling economic development opportunities
- Strengthening resilience to natural hazards and climate change
- Improving transport connectivity across the district
The project team is currently preparing context and technical information, , reviewing outcomes of early engagement, and developing a vision, objectives and principles. The vision, objectives and principles will then be used to identify and evaluate spatial planning options. The intention is to prepare the DWSS in a manner that it can be integrated into the regional spatial plan framework.
This project page will be updated with key information and reports, as the project progresses.
If you have any questions or want to know more, you can call the team on 0800 92 0092 or email us at dwss@fndc.govt.nz.
Frequently asked questions
The DWSS is a plan that will guide how the Far North grows and develops over the coming decades. It will bring together land use, housing, infrastructure, environmental resilience, economic development, and community wellbeing to set one district wide direction. It is intended to be locally relevant, co-designed with partners, and technically robust to support future planning processes including the Regional Spatial Strategies.
- clear objectives shaped by community aspirations and technical evidence
- spatial options showing different future scenarios
- priority areas for regeneration and investment
- community profiles for each major locality
- supporting evidence on growth, infrastructure, hazards, environment, and the economy.
What you tell us will shape the vision, principles, and objectives of the DWSS. Early engagement is essential, your insights help us understand the issues that matter most, the opportunities that exist across the district, and the outcomes our communities want to see. Your input becomes the foundation we build the strategy on.
The DWSS will not duplicate Te Pātukurea. Instead, it will integrate and align with the priorities and lessons from it, ensuring a coherent long-term direction across the district. Te Pātukurea focused on significant growth pressures being experienced in Kerikeri and Waipapa. You can view the plan here. We are now focusing on the needs of the rest of the district.
The DWSS is being developed in partnership with iwi and hapū through dedicated forums including a Kaupapa Steering Ropū, and in partnership with Iwi, to ensure that Māori economic development, cultural values, and land aspirations are incorporated throughout the evidence gathering, scenario development, and final strategic directions.
Because the planning system is changing, and the Far North needs to be ready. The Planning Act and Natural Environment Act are expected to be enacted in September 2026. The new laws will require councils to help shape Regional Spatial Plans, so we need the DWSS now to make sure our district’s priorities and community aspirations are included.
Because the DWSS will shape the future of the places you live, work, and rely on. It’s about improving community wellbeing, supporting aspirations, tackling long-term challenges, and making sure the Far North has a strong voice in the new national planning system. What we decide now influences future investment, infrastructure, services, and opportunities across the whole district, including where you live.