Cromwell ‘Eye to the Future’ Masterplan

Rationale is currently working with the Cromwell Community Board and Central Otago District Council to create a masterplan for Cromwell, aptly named Cromwell ‘Eye to the Future’ Masterplan.

Cromwell is experiencing a period of prolonged and unprecedented growth. This is being fuelled by a range of factors including the thriving horticulture and viticulture industries and its position as a strategic hub for tourism and freight distribution. The town is also experiencing a construction boom and accounts for almost half of the building consents issued in the Central Otago District. Some of this construction activity is a result of the overflow effect from the neighbouring towns of Wanaka and Queenstown.

Much like Queenstown and Wanaka, Cromwell has been somewhat caught out by the speed of growth. Development has been occurring through several private plan changes and large-scale resource consent applications. Because of this, the Community Board and CODC are looking at a new approach to how the town grows over the next 10, 20 and 30 years.

A key part of the masterplanning process is to ensure the community is given a voice which will guide development and investment in key civic projects.

The masterplan has three simple objectives:

  1. We understand what the future holds for Cromwell and its surrounding areas.
  2. Integration of the strategies, plans and projects to enable a sequencing of priorities.
  3. Cromwell gets ahead of the growth, identifies key spatial improvements, we plan for it and get on with it.

So, what does the future of the Cromwell look like? It’s not an easy question to answer and there are a wide range of factors to take into account. Cromwell has a rich history going back to the gold rush days in the 1860s, when it was a key junction situated at the confluence between the Kawarau and Clutha rivers.

As gold ran out, Cromwell became the service centre for an extensive farming and stone fruit growing area. In the 1980’s it changed once again when the construction of the Clyde Dam began. This saw the town partially flooded when the dam was completed in 1992, which left a legacy of Lake Dunstan and a newer town centre created by the Ministry of Works during the dam’s construction. In recent years another wave of growth as resulted in Cromwell being classed as New Zealand’s fastest growing small town.

The Eye to the Future project presents a range of challenges, with a passionate local community who are looking to see real results and swift implementation. Involving the residents, ratepayers and visitors and telling a compelling story are critical components to this Masterplan. Using a combination of Investment Logic Mapping and the Better Business Case framework we are working with a range of stakeholders to identify the issues and frame up possible solutions.

Cromwell Connect is currently running an survey to gather public feedback about the future of Cromwell as part of the masterplanning process.

Watch this space.





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