Blueprint for growth: Selwyn unveils economic development strategy
Tuesday, 22 October 2024
The Selwyn District Council has released its plan to continue the “momentum” of New Zealand's fastest-growing community.
Mayor Sam Broughton said the Kai Aku Rika Economic Development Strategy, released at Lincoln University on Tuesday, aimed to ensure growth over the next decade was 'purposeful, inclusive, and sustainable'.
The strategy highlighted the district's rapid gains in population, housing, businesses, and job opportunities.
“To continue our momentum, we must focus on nurturing our economy,” Broughton said.
“This means supporting local businesses, fostering innovation, and creating conditions where growth happens from within, driven by our existing resources and workforce.”
The strategy was built on three themes: Getting the settings right, playing to our existing strengths, and growing from within, Broughton said.
'Playing to our existing strengths refers to Selwyn’s agricultural expertise, the knowledge hub in Lincoln, and support for local business innovation.“
Growing from within meant investing in infrastructure, upskilling the workforce, and boosting tourism, business, and investment.
The strategy also commited to supporting Māori success by advancing the aspirations of local rūnanga and iwi.
According to 2023 Census data, Selwyn District is now the fastest-growing in New Zealand. Over the last five years, its resident population increased 29% to 78,000, which is 75% higher than a decade ago.
Of the recent arrivals, two-thirds had moved from other parts of New Zealand, while nearly a fifth relocated from overseas. Projections show that Selwyn’s population could reach about 110,000 by 2034.
Selwyn's economy has also experienced the highest growth in the country, with a GDP of $3.6 billion in 2023. Small businesses dominate, with 94% employing fewer than 10 people.
Economist Benje Patterson, a lead contributor to the strategy, highlighted Selwyn's strengths noting it has a vibrant, growing population with a wealth of skills and a 'fantastic pipeline of youth.'
Brad Olsen, chief executive and principal economist at Infometrics, pointed out Selwyn's strength of being close to a major city but with strong ties to the primary sector.
'People are voting with their feet and moving to Selwyn. They see the opportunities, the lifestyle, and the development,' he said.
The strategy also highlighted “growth pains” facing Selwyn, including deteriorating housing affordability, urban sprawl encroaching on productive land, and infrastructure struggling to keep pace with a rising population.
It also emphasised the importance of retaining young people in the district, and addressing challenges posed by an ageing population.
Selwyn boasts six ski fields, the oldest agricultural teaching institution in the southern hemisphere, the site of the country’s first hydroelectric power station, the smallest settlement in New Zealand, an annual Highland Games, a controversial giant doughnut, and one of the country’s most polluted bodies of water.
At the heart of the district is Rolleston, once famously dubbed the “town of the future”- now 18 times larger than it was in 1996, and expected to grow another 41% in the next 25 years.
Lincoln is on a similar trajectory, anticipated to grow by about 58% between now and 2048.