Rotorua's dramatic future | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Trams, restricted traffic in the central city and a pier on Lake Rotorua - they're all part of our business community's vision for the city's future.

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, including town planners, lawyers, surveyors, architects and policy planners, has put together a plan it wants the city's district council to consider as part of its district plan review. Chamber members have "tremendous confidence" in the future for Rotorua and hope their contribution to the long-term vision for the city will help plans for a vibrant, thriving community, says chamber chief executive Roger Gordon.

He believes the ideas could become a successful reality - if planning starts now.

Chamber members are calling on the council and Rotorua's residents and business people to be more proactive about the city's development.

If predictions are correct, Rotorua's population could double in the next 50 years and this would have significant implications for the city in terms of traffic, housing and land use.

The chamber's submission to the council has five main themes: Transport, the Lakefront and CBD, Housing, Industry and Tourism.

Transport

More people means more traffic and the chamber recommendations aim to reduce the parking available in the city centre and improve public and alternative transport access to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

A tram service to key locations and better walkway and cyclepath links are suggested.

The Lakefront and CBD

The Chamber's Building Our Community submission states Rotorua's Lakefront is yet to realise its full potential as "an attractive, leisure-focused area".

The chamber wants to see traffic banned from Tutanekai St with street stalls, seating and water features. The mall would link Rotorua Central to the central business district and lead to a lake view unhindered by the current tourist activity buildings.

It proposes that activities operate from an Edwardian-style pier, with a Maori aquatic centre at the current Sound Shell site and cafes and shops occupying the QE Health's prime lakeside position.

Housing

Lifestyle blocks and gated communities have been rejected in favour of developments in under utilised parts of existing residential areas and the creation of carefully designed villages and farm parks.

Clustered housing, linked by walkways and cycle paths, is seen as more efficient in terms of utilities and services and is predicted to improve use of local shops, security and community spirit.

Industry

The Chamber of Commerce wants to see residential, commercial and industrial zones clearly defined and enforced and recommends creating new industrial parks similar to Eastgate.

Separation of these functions is predicted to reduce pollution and traffic and improve the appearance of the city for visitors and residents.

Tourism

Chamber members would like to see city gateways and attractive scenery or development on main routes into Rotorua and clusters of visitor attractions to decrease the current spread of activities due to geography.

They also envisage a free bus service linking attractions and hotels, sponsored by the relevant businesses.

Destination Rotorua tourist board chairman Warren Harford told The Daily Post development of the city centre and Lakefront was needed to capitalise on future transtasman tourism trade.

"The whole Lakefront needs to be developed into an international class facility," he said.

He would like to see a lakeside information centre that incorporates shops and ticket offices all under one roof and agrees a hop-on-hop-off style bus connecting tourist attractions would be a good idea but it would be difficult to maintain that as a free service.

"We have to be a bit realistic. Visitors don't mind paying if they are getting the service and quality of service they want."