Tauranga Moana Infrastructure
A vision to connect New Zealand's fastest growing city and gateway to trade, to the communities and businesses it serves

Tauranga is the fifth largest and the fastest-growing city in Aotearoa New Zealand. For the last decade, and notably during the pandemic, the city has experienced dramatically higher economic and population growth levels than the rest of the country. Tauranga’s importance to Aotearoa is not just limited to being a popular place to live; the city is the
gateway to trade from NZ to the world, with our largest seaport, horticulture production and links
to NZ’s primary production heartland.

While the future is bright, Tauranga faces some very real constraints around its infrastructure, with historical under-investment and leadership relative to the high growth the city has experienced. This manifests in a lack of land available for development, low productivity, housing and rental unaffordability and restricted access to the country’s largest Port.

Tauranga will continue a growth trajectory, and the demands on our infrastructure will intensify. We must ensure we have the capability to realise this growth and serve the country. Well planned infrastructure can also support economic resilience, unlock growth, and help deliver on climate change objectives.

Priority One is committed to helping address the sub-region’s substantial infrastructure deficit brought about by its rapid population and economic growth over the last two decades.

Advocacy for increased infrastructure investment in the WesternBay of Plenty is a focus for Priority One. We continue to strongly advocate for the region, with the Government in particular, highlighting economic opportunities and barriers for the country. It is testament to our region’s growth that we are now part of national conversations, rather than purely local. We have collaborated with local councils to provide a united, coherent voice
to central government to highlight the importance of the Western Bay of Plenty both locally and nationally.

Priority One leads the Western Bay of Plenty Infrastructure Forum, alongside many local businesses, to advocate for critical infrastructure investment in the sub-region. This includes a 10-point action plan and setting out expectations to incoming elected members around key challenges for the region.

SmartGrowth and Transport Systems Plan (TSP) are key regional infrastructure strategies we work to inform, ensuring
that economic needs are considered in future planning and, in particular, advocating for supply of land for residential and industrial uses.

Our interest in infrastructure stretches to the enablement of industrial land (particularly at the Tauriko Business Estate and Rangiuru Business Park), transport projects, Port infrastructure, rail, energy and workforce development.

Membership engagement and the voice of our members is critical in developing infrastructure plans and advocating for them. Priority One has held several infrastructure-related meetings involving our members, ranging from engagement with New Zealand infrastructure bodies to city infrastructure discussions and sector-based actions.