A growing and attractive town
Cambridge is experiencing rapid growth, presenting both challenges and opportunities for our local council.
Cambridge is characterised by its village feel, natural beauty, stunning backdrop, and friendly community. Ultimately, these characteristics are the reason we need to preserve our unique heritage and appeal, and why we love Cambridge, and why so many other people now want to live, work and do business here.
Waipā District Council is accommodating growth while retaining its distinctive character.
Cambridge’s population is forecast to reach nearly 34,000 by 2055, an incredible 76% increase since 2018.
To cater for these people, it will need an extra 13,000 homes.
With more housing comes an increased need for amenities and the right infrastructure, including roading, cycleways, water, wastewater and stormwater and utilities.
What makes this town a great place to live?
Our town has experienced extraordinary growth, with new families, migrants, retirees and ex-pats all flocking to our town. Property values continue to be strong, and residential and commercial development is moving at pace.
Waipā District Council is working to enhance new and existing areas to welcome these newcomers, strengthen the town’s identity, and improve services for residents.
Keeping it green and inviting
The Council says its planning provides for open spaces and connects the new developments through a network of pathways and cycleways for pedestrians and cyclists.
To maintain the town’s character, planning emphasises grid-pattern streets, large green frontages with trees, consistent building set-backs, and limited fence heights to make sure we have safe and friendly neighbourhoods. Existing natural areas and important heritage sites
are protected.
Planning ensures playgrounds and informal recreation areas are within a five to ten minute walk for all residents, with at least 15 percent green space in each growth area. Additionally, convenient retail and service areas should be within easy walking and cycling distance.
Making sure we have the right infrastructure to support growth
To make it all work, there’s a whole lot of services that go under and above ground. For example:
Fresh water
Wastewater
Stormwater
Roading
Planning teams consider how to get water to homes, how wastewater will be taken away and treated, and where the rainwater will go once it’s landed on our streets.
They also look at where the roads will go, how the intersections work, and where the main entrance and exits points will be, plus so much more! The roads have been designed to allow great connectivity both within the growth areas and to the rest of Cambridge. The roads are pedestrian and cycle-friendly, and designed to keep the speeds down.
Cambridge is constructing a new wastewater treatment plant as part of the community’s efforts to improve the town and protect the environment. At the time of publication, according to the Council, the $100 million-plus plant will adhere to high environmental standards and meet community goals for the health of the Waikato River. It’s designed to handle population growth and its on-site solar farm will provide all the necessary energy to operate during daylight hours.
For more information about how Waipā District Council is planning our town, visit www.waipadc.govt.nz.
