Growth tackled by teamwork

Published: 24 March 2022

Last Updated: 27 March 2022

Napier City Council has set up a team to help tackle challenges facing major developers and manage the huge growth the city is experiencing and planning for in the future.

The Key Account Managers (KAM) team, presented to today’s Future Napier council meeting, will become the first point of contact for developers of residential subdivisions and large scale commercial and industrial sites. It will help developers navigate the regulatory process, and offer guidance to businesses and investors interested in undertaking significant investment in Napier.

Richard Munneke, Napier City Council’s Director of City Strategy, says by restructuring and refocusing the way his team helps developers, Napier is able to better meet needs while staying as efficient as possible.

“We are re-organising ourselves to meet community needs as opposed to creating a new team,” he explains. “The KAM team is focused on the surge of growth Napier is experiencing coupled with a real need to find solutions for affordable housing in the area.”

“It’s important to Napier that we support initiatives led by other providers. We’ve changed the way we do things to work more closely with them, so together we can bring about positive changes for the good of the community.”

The team has recently met with Kāinga Ora, gaining insight into their proposed work programme for the near future. It is also liaising with the Emerald Hills and Riverbend Road residential developers. Emerald Hills is an 800-lot development and Riverbend Road approximately a 600-lot residential development.

Developers of both initiatives are working closely with the KAM team to ensure designs are appropriate and sympathetic to the surrounding environs and infrastructure.

Back to News Archive