Written by:
Charlotte Billing
Place Creative have been revisiting our urban farm feasibility study, which we presented our final report for in July. The successes of OMG and Kelmarna feeding urban communities, has brought positive attention to the concept of urban farming/agriculture, so the Waitematā local board and community advocates have been investigating setting up a new farm site, ideally in the city centre.
However, our findings, and some new research out of Kirikiriroa, showed that urban farming in Aotearoa is facing barriers that are not ones that can be solved through advocacy. It’s much more complex…
Our research into urban farming models in Tāmaki Makaurau found that gaps in our planning rules and legislation are going to hold up any urban food production. Finding this out stopped us from recommending a new farm site, because without a clear legal definition, for example, urban farms can’t be consented. And the new research found that this problem is not Auckland’s alone.
We wrote up an explainer for Greater Auckland that unpacks why we need to address this gap in our urban planning rules sooner rather than later. Conversations are still being had to keep the dream of a new farm alive, but now we need other expertise to take the reins on building the legal mandate. Read the article here.
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