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The critical position of Chief Planning Officer for the new Auckland SuperCouncil has gone to a Wellingtonian.
Porirua City Council Chief Executive Roger Blakeley (left) has got the job.
Dr Blakeley’s principal tasks will involve the development of a Regional Spatial Plan for Auckland which sets out the long term vision and framework for development over the next 30 years.
This will include a picture of future development and growth including “greenfields” development, urban intensification, rural residential, industrial and business growth, waterfront master plan, transport and other infrastructure, landscape and environmental protection and heritage management.
It also involves the development and integration with the Regional Policy Statement, District Plan, Long Term Plan, Local Board Plans and Regional Land Transport Plan.
Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash says she considers Dr Blakeley well qualified for the task.
“The Chief Planning Officer is a second tier position, and as the new Auckland City is so big (1.4 million people) it is one of the biggest jobs in local government.
“This is a very challenging position and it’s a feather in the cap of Porirua City Council because of the work Roger has achieved here in the past 9 ½ years. His energy and commitment to Porirua is huge and his input into the council’s strategic thinking has made a big difference to the city.”
4 Comments
So WHAT has he achieved? I’d kinda like to know a) what he has done and b) if there’s a clear trend (his personal leanings in terms of city planning, so to speak).
Also, Porirua has 50,000 people.
Porirua City Centre is a mess! The city is a sprawl of big box development and surface parking. The city is so bad that mixed use development and medium density hasn’t even seen the light of day.
Porirua is one of the only councils in the region that doesn’t make money from car parking (even levin makes revenue from parking).
I wonder if the requirements for getting a high level job on the new council are that you are either not in local government already or you are from outside the region. You can’t tell me that out of 1.4 million people in Auckland not one was good enough. I would know what he said he would do that got him the job.
Being the ex-CEO of the Department of Internal Affairs might have something to do with Blakeley’s appointment - in a role that requires solid integration of local and central government strategy and relationships.