Waikato Regional Spatial Plan
A shared vision for the future
We’re working on a shared plan for the region’s future – thinking ahead about how we use land, build infrastructure and manage resources. Councils and iwi will come together to take a long-term, big-picture view, looking beyond district boundaries to understand the needs of our communities and the opportunities and challenges ahead.
What is a regional spatial plan?
A regional spatial plan (RSP) is a new long-term planning document required under the Government’s Planning Act. It provides a shared vision and strategic direction for how a region will grow and develop over the next 30 years or more.
The RSP will:
- Identify the main drivers of growth and change in the region.
- Show the broad location of future housing, infrastructure, transport networks, environmental areas and taonga we want to protect, and opportunities for things like renewable energy.
- Help coordinate planning and investment across councils and government agencies.
- Include objectives, maps and actions.
In the Waikato region, the RSP will cover the areas of Hamilton City, Waikato district, Waipā, Matamata-Piako, Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel, South Waikato, Taupō, Waitomo, Ōtorohanga, and part of Rotorua Lakes.
Who prepares the RSP?
The RSP is developed by a spatial planning committee (SPC), with support from a dedicated project team (the Secretariat) and specialist technical working groups that provide advice and expertise.
The SPC is a joint committee set up by the local authorities in the region. Each local authority can appoint one member to the SPC, although councils may choose not to do so. The SPC must also include a member with expertise in te ao Māori and Māori land development. In addition, the relevant Minister may appoint a member to the SPC.
The inventory - understanding what information and resources we already have
We are building an understanding of what information we have across the region, what we need to gather and how we go about doing this. This will enable a regional approach to responding to regional issues. It will also help to integrate local and central government funding and investment.
The inventory is a stocktake of relevant existing spatial information, spatial data, planning information and strategies within the Waikato region.
The purpose of the inventory is to identify and collate existing work in the Waikato region that can be used to inform a regional spatial strategy and to identify gaps.
The region’s existing spatial information and data is fragmented and district or subject-specific, and there are gaps and inconsistencies in the data.
The inventory was presented to a Waikato Regional Council workshop in April 2025 as a report with supporting maps and figures to illustrate the current state of spatial information which may inform a regional spatial strategy and be a platform for future work.
The inventory outlines a regional profile that spatially presents the current state of the region through a set of maps/dashboards. Key messages are presented in supporting infographics.
The framework – how are we going to go about it
A framework has been developed which sets out how partners could work together to build the regional spatial strategy. The draft framework has been shared with our district and city councils and our iwi partners. The framework also covers timing and resourcing to prepare a strategy - who’s involved, how we’ll work together and what resources and timeframes are needed.