Kihikihi Village Plan feedback period extended

Kihikihi residents will have more time to consider and provide feedback to the plan for their growing village, following an extension to the feedback period.

Waipā District Council’s draft Kihikihi Urban Development Plan, which opened for feedback mid-June, includes key projects aimed at improvinig the town’s vibrancy, mobility, heritage spaces, play and recareational areas.

The extended feedback period now closes on the draft Kihikihi Village plan at 5pm, Monday 2 August 2021.

Council’s Strategy Manager Kirsty Downey said the time extension was granted following a request for more time to provide feedback from locals.

“Our community have told us they would like some more time to consider the plan, which will ultimately shape the future of Kihikihi, and as community input is integral to the success of a plan, we have extended the feedback to accommodate this.”

“We would love to hear from all sectors of our community, the school, clubs, domain users, mana whenua, young and old. It’s important to get a wide cross-section of views so it can truly reflect our community’s desires.”

The plan takes into account feedback from the community from back in 2017, which indicated there was a strong appetite to share the town’s Māori and European history through both the Waikato Wars and the New Zealand Land Wars. Two significant battles occurred nearby in Rangiaowhia and Ōrākau in 1864 which decimated the community and dramatically changed the village’s landscape.

One prominent feature in the village’s landscape - the Kihikihi Domain - which regularly hosts international events, was also highlighted as an opportunity for improvement by residents.

Sharing the village’s history and putting together a cohesive plan for the Domain’s future are both included in the draft plan.

The draft Kihikihi Urban Development Plan is available in full at www.waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay and residents are encouraged to fill in the online survey or collect a hard-copy survey in person at a Council office in Te Awamutu or Cambridge.