Waikanae Town Centre Transformation

Our long-term vision for the Waikanae town centre is that it has an arts and culture focus, and that it meets the needs of the community. Mahara Place in Waikanae will provide a sense of place that people can strongly associate with and feel part of. Improved pedestrian access and better connections to the railway station will make it easier for you to get around. The historic village connection with the Whakarongotai Marae will be reflected in the development of a ‘cultural thread’ through the town centre.

To help make this a reality, we've established a 14-year work programme, which involves physical construction and work behind the scenes to support economic development opportunities and build community resilience.

Construction works to transform and improve the town centre won't happen overnight and we can't do this on our own. Some of the proposed improvements will require private sector investment and support because we don't own the land or buildings. This means we’ll be focusing our efforts on projects where we have certainty over budgets.

Projects we're currently working on

Supporting economic and community development in Waikanae

Completed Projects

Improvements to Mahara Place

Transformed into a bright and vibrant area, where you can come together, enjoy and relax in the open space.

A cultural thread, Waikanae

Better integrating Waikanae town centre with Whakarongotai Marae. This work involved creating spaces for people to sit and relax, paving and improved street lighting.

Waikanae's masterplan

This masterplan gives an overview of the long-term improvements planned in this town centre. Some of these improvements also intersect with our Stride n’ Ride Kāpiti Coast initiative and the Transport Agency’s work to make the existing State Highway 1 a local road.

Related projects

Stride n Ride projects – connecting the Expressway shared pathway to the Waikanae town centre.

Making State Highway 1 a local road (NZ Transport Agency)

Within the next 24 months (from July 20 start date, with expectation of completion by September 2020) SH1 through the Waikanae town centre will become a fit-for-purpose local road and responsibility for the road will transfer from the Transport Agency to us. This process is known as 'revocation'. The Transport Agency will invest around $3 million in the Waikanae town centre as part of this project. This will involve construction works within the existing road corridor to reduce SH1 to a single lane layout, intersection improvements, better east-west connections and improved public amenity.

As part of the Transport Agency’s revocation works, we're taking the opportunity to improve the SH1 entrance to Mahara Place. This project will be delivered as part of our town centre improvement works and will involve removing and relocating the stone wall to a suitable place (to be determined by the community in the town centre), and planting.

In making SH1 a fit-for-purpose local road we have an opportunity to increase the number of car parks on SH1 between Elizabeth Street and Ngaio Road in response to traffic volumes and changes on the road. Two workable approaches were considered, and a recommendation went to Councillors on Thursday 15 March 2018. A parallel parking approach was adopted which will provide 10 additional parks, and provide better integration of transport modes through the town centre for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Staying up to date

Talk to your community board, follow our Facebook page and e-newsletter Everything Kāpiti for updated about our work to build a connected, accessible and thriving Waikanae town centre.