Find out some of the projects we have coming up or underway.
In 2016 NPDC purchased Te Kohia Pā, a significant historic site. Te Kohia Pā in Waitara was built in 1860 by Wiremu Kīngi Te Rangitāke and his followers. It was attacked by British Forces on 17 March 1860, marking the start of the First Taranaki Land War. The pā was known for its innovative covered trenches - a feature first used at Ruapekapeka in the Northern Land Wars in the 1840s, then refined at Te Kohia and replicated in the design of other pā fortifications.
In 2019, work began on developing a plan for the site, with a project team made up of representatives from NPDC, Te Kotahitanga o Te Ātiawa, Manukorihi, Otaraua and Pukerangiora hapū and the Department of Conservation. The location of the pā has been confirmed and a feasibility study is being planned. NPDC has set aside $300,000 to undertake this study, with an additional $200,000 to be sought externally. The study will assess the possibility of establishing a nationally significant multi-purpose wānanga-education/ exhibition/arts centre, along with café/retail and associated services on the site.
The first section of the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway opened in December 2001. NPDC is now considering adding approximately seven kilometers to the walkway from Bell Block to Waitara. The extension will enable people to see unique landscapes, pass by historical sites and read information boards narrating past events which have shaped who we are as a community.
NPDC will work with Puketapu, Manukorihi and Otaraua hapū, and collaborate with other key stakeholders, including Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Papa Rererangi i Puketapu Limited (the New Plymouth Airport Council Controlled Organisation) to progress this initiative. Residents and visitors will experience the same benefits, with the addition of the Coastal Walkway extension.
Te Matatini is a significant cultural festival and the pinnacle event for Māori performing arts. Held every two years, it is one of the most highly anticipated events for performers, their whānau and the mass of passionate Kapa Haka fans throughout the world. The festival is a whānau friendly, smoke and alcohol-free event and has an open-door policy where all people are welcome to come and experience the timeless tradition and spectacle of Kapa Haka.
In 2022, the festival will be held in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), with Aotea (Taranaki/Whanganui) scheduled to host the next event in 2024. Offering a potential multi-million dollar boost to the local economy, we will explore with local iwi ways in which we can support a successful bid to host the event for the first time here in the New Plymouth District.
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Page last updated: 01:47pm Wed 01 May 2024