Update on the Baxendale Reserve and Erlam Place Esplanade Reserve project

Thank you to those who provided feedback on this project.

We can now share the plan which has been informed by local residents’ voices and engagement with mana whenua representatives, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Fish & Game NZ.

The project is expected to begin during the summer to autumn period of 2024.

This is what we heard during community engagement:

• Protection of environmental values is important and development should be kept to a minimum.
• Concerns about security and privacy.
• There was limited support for a bridge across the stream due to concerns about flooding, impact on the stream and creating links outside of the Baxendale subdivision.

The project concept plan has been updated to reflect what we heard:

• The idea of a formal path has been removed from the plan.
• As shown in the plan below, a walkable grass strip through the esplanade reserve, and access to the stream will be maintained by weed control and mowing.
• Upgrades are confined to the northern side of the stream, without a bridge crossing over. Nothing would change in the Gillam Crescent Esplanade Reserve or Brook Place Reserve as part of this project.
• The updated plan has a focus on environmental restoration, with weed control and stream edge revegetation with native plants, staged over the next 2-3 years.