Creative Junction Magazine June 16th 2017 | Page 2

CREATIVE JUNCTION
PAGE 3
More Developments
for Ruakaka
EC O N O MY
PI PPA B O UR KE/ E DI T O R
PI PPA@ C R EAT I VEJ UN C T I ON .N Z
It won’t be long before
no one will think twice
about
the
commute
Ruakaka
to
Whangarei,
says developer Ken Orr.
As the main driver behind
the Ruakaka Town Centre
development, Mr Orr has
seen the town expand
quickly over the last decade.
“More and more people
are seeing the benefits of
being able to live by the
beach and work in town.”
According to the latest
Regional Hotspot Report, the
population of Ruakaka and
One Tree Point is expected
to grow a whopping 29
percent in the next six years.
“It’s something that was
predicted when I first moved to
Ruakaka nearly 20 years ago,”
says Mr Orr. “It’s just taken
a bit longer to eventuate.”
A block of four new shops
are scheduled to open in the
Town Centre Development
within the next month. 
The new shops will cater to
the boost of 1120 residents
expected
by
2023,
as
well as providing for the
existing
4000
residents.
“The great th ing about
the
council’s
predictions
for
Ruakaka
taking
so
long to eventuate is that
all the development has
been
done
sustainably.”
Mr Orr says the developments
have been actioned as and
when the area needed them.
“This
means
everything
has
been
carefully
planned, right down to
the location of car parks.”
He says shops have noticeably
more carparks than are
required under planning laws.
“There’s nothing worse than
not being able to find a car
park when you’re in a hurry.”
Population for the Marsden
Point-Ruakaka area grew by 21
percent from 2006 to 2013, the
biggest population increase
in the Whangarei District.
This has been attributed to
Whangarei District Council
planning and growth being
funnelled into the area.
Mr Orr says the growth
reflects the developments
that have been done on
Northland’s roading networks.
“This is providing a better
link not only with Whangarei
businesses but also with
Auckland
businesses,”
Over the next three years the
Puhoi to Warkworth route is
expected to be finished. By
2025, Warkworth to Wellsford
will be completed and the
remaining link from Wellsford
to Whangarei is due by 2030.