I HEART Aotearoa

Aotearoa is a country with strong cultural, spiritual and physical connections that has influenced the character of our towns and cities. Each place has its own unique identity which should be celebrated at the very heart of urban planning as we respond to pressures on the built and natural environment.

Our towns and cities have been largely developed in response to the infrastructure required to service the population. We now have an opportunity, through the Resource Management Reforms and the creation of the Spatial Planning Act, to go beyond liveable and focus on what makes a place loveable.

The creation of a loveable town involves putting people at the centre of planning and emphasising the intangible elements that give our towns character and a sense of place. This ensures that there are places for social interactions, daily routines of social life and an arena for gathering. Most importantly, urban planning reflects the unique local character of the towns and cities throughout Aotearoa.

The purpose of this session is to present our Loveable Framework and outline how it can provided to putting place identity at the centre of planning. We will outline the key principles for achieving loveability and provide examples of loveable towns