Save the Date for NZPIC25

In the face of unprecedented and ongoing changes to our physical, economic and political environments, it is imperative to cultivate resilience in not just our urban and built environments, but our natural and rural environments as well.

Innovative solutions will be needed to safeguard the sustainability and vitality of our natural and rural environment against the formidable challenges we face from climate change, exacerbated weather extremes and subsequent natural hazard events, tourism growth and near constant legislative reform.

How do we strike the right balance between enacting regulatory reform and driving other community led and collaborative approaches needed to foster that innovation in nature and ensure that planning processes remain agile and responsive to evolving challenges and changes?

How can we foster partnerships and leverage local knowledge so that communities can work together to develop holistic, context-specific solutions that reflect the diverse needs and values of stakeholders?

As our nation’s main centres continue to grow and planning professionals and communities as a whole work hard to respond to the challenges this growth brings, the plight of the smaller towns and cities beyond these major urban areas can sometimes be forgotten. But people living in the country’s regions deserve high quality built environments too, right? So how does urban design apply to the provinces?

Sustainable built development in these areas can be challenging. Small population bases and a lack of financial resources, for example, can make any meaningful change in these smaller urban environments difficult to achieve. How do we support the regions to design appropriately scaled urban spaces that are attractive, functional, sustainable and affordable? How can we ensure that residents of provincial areas have access to high-quality built environments that meet their needs and aspirations and that provide the same opportunities their big city counterparts benefit from, if not more?

We want to explore the notion that all communities, regardless of size or location, deserve vibrant and resilient urban places and spaces that enhance quality of life, protect existing character and historic heritage, provide viable alternatives to the way people live, work and get around, and promote economic vitality. Through innovative planning and design approaches, can we reimagine regional built environments to be inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the unique context and character of each place, including confronting the realities of climate change and rebuilding post natural hazard events?

In an increasingly digital world, the practice of environmental planning is undergoing profound transformations. From online platforms to AI-driven tools, technology has become integral to how planning practitioners engage with their work and interact with communities. However, amidst this digital revolution, the importance of meaningful relationships between practitioners, politicians, and communities remains paramount.

How we can harness the power of technology to not only retain, but also enhance these vital relationships? As we navigate the complexities of the new digital era, how can we leverage technology to facilitate more inclusive and collaborative planning processes that actively involve a broad range of stakeholders at every stage?

How can AI-driven tools and algorithms help us analyse data, model scenarios, and make informed decisions? What impact will AI have on the important conversations that need to happen between practitioners, politicians, and communities? And critically, how do we ensure that AI remains a tool for enhancing human judgment rather than replacing it?

Amidst the proliferation of digital tools and platforms, questions arise about the future of planning and the role of planners. Will we still need planners in a world where technology can do much of the work for us? How must the role of planners evolve in the digital age in order to ensure the unique skills and expertise they bring to the table remain relevant and add value? And how do we strike the right balance between digital and in-person engagement to ensure that planning processes are truly participatory and inclusive?

As another phase of RM reforms sweeps across the country, planners will need to keep working hard to ensure they’re in the best position to be able to weather the changes.

This sub theme will focus on the latest key updates and analysis on what is expected from the reforms and allow delegates to hear the insights from a broad range of perspectives as to the implications the reforms will have on the work planners do, and the way we do it.