Councillor's Comment: Aaron Stallard.
Imagining a better future for Nelson Whakatū.
Over the next nine months, as Council develops its 2027–2037 Long Term Plan, Councillors and the community alike have the challenge and opportunity of reimagining our city to ensure a high quality of life, financial sustainability, and resilience in a rapidly changing world that is prone to shock events such as the ongoing energy crisis.
Change is inevitable. Our systems of transport, tourism, and energy were developed during an era of cheap and abundant energy that will never be replicated. Human activity, supercharged by fossil fuels, has exceeded many planetary boundaries (i.e., scientifically assessed safe limits for life on Earth), threatening climate stability, biodiversity and the natural systems that sustain us and our economy. Nelson must respond locally by changing how we move around our city and carefully planning our communities to ensure future generations have the prospects of a good life.
In this context, we can consider what Nelson could look like in 2037 if we make thoughtful choices today. Imagine a city where children and commuters can safely walk or cycle to school or work, public transport is the most convenient and affordable form of road transport, we live close to the places we work and play, we limit our demands on the environment, and we take responsibility for our waste and pollution. We currently score poorly in these areas, but we know what is needed to change that.
Our existing car-dominated transport system is expensive, inefficient and harmful to human and environmental health. The provision of safe and affordable transport choices, which lies within Council’s powers yet has never been fully achieved, would ease congestion, reduce costs for families, improve air quality, reduce emissions, and create more liveable streets. Nelson could be greener, healthier and better prepared for ongoing energy shocks.
With smarter urban planning, we could have compact, higher-density urban areas with homes, shops, schools, workplaces, and community facilities being located close together, enabling people to meet their daily needs without high costs and ensuring connected communities. Combined with thoughtful transport design, we could create a city built around people rather than traffic.
We are making some progress, including plans for the East–West cycleway, intensification in central Nelson, the excellent eBus service, and transitioning away from clear-fell forestry on Council reserve land, but we need to go further and faster.
A smart Long Term Plan that prioritises resilience, energy independence, intensification, healthy nature, and safe transport choices will help us address the environmental and economic challenges over the coming decade. Let’s use this opportunity to invest wisely, respect planetary limits, and build a future in which our community can thrive
-Councillor Aaron Stallard
