By LAUREN WHITE, team leader, urban design, Harrison Grierson

The consideration of existing and proposed transport infrastructure, both road and rail based modes, has been an important factor in planning for growth in Franklin District.

This has led, in part, to the identification of the small town of Pokeno as a place suitable for accommodating a significant portion of the District’s growth in population and business activity, forecast to double over the next 50 years. 

Situated approximately halfway between Auckland and Hamilton, along the Great South Road and at the junction of State Highways 1 and 2, Pokeno offers easy access – both north, south and east – and provides an attractive location for residents and industrial uses alike.

As the northern point of the Waikato Expressway, which provides increased accessibility to the Waikato region and function as the main national route linking the Waikato and Auckland to the south, Pokeno’s appeal as a location will grow. 

Although this location along SH1 and 2 is today a primary factor supporting its predicted growth, Pokeno’s future is further strengthened by its location along the North Island Main Trunk Railway. 

Should passenger rail services between Auckland and Hamilton prove viable and become a reality, Pokeno has the potential to provide both residents and industrial users with the option of rail transport to connect to the wider region, an undoubted advantage in the context of peak oil. 

To direct future growth, the Pokeno Structure Plan, leading to Proposed Plan Change 24 to the Operative District Plan, provides a framework for the establishment of an expanded town, accommodating approximately 6000 people over 400 hectares.

The town’s proximity to strategic road and rail infrastructure, as well as gentle topography in the vicinity of the SH1/railway intersection, make Pokeno attractive for medium to heavy industrial uses.
The establishment of significant employment in this area contributes to the creation a sustainable town with a balance of opportunities for living, working and playing.

As part of the structure planning process, a study was undertaken to define a defendable and justifiable boundary for urban growth.

One of the defining factors of the proposed growth boundary is accessibility and while the town’s proximity to SH1 is an obvious asset, the motorway presents a physical barrier to a contiguous urban environment.  As such, the eastern side of SH1 was excluded from the structure plan area and future growth focused around the existing settlement and town centre. 

The railway line also presents a challenge to achieving connectivity. The structure plan supports additional residential and industrial uses south of the railway line and numerous crossing points are proposed in order to minimize severance. 

Land for a future railway station in the town centre, which is identified as appropriate for medium density residential development has been identified to ensure this mode of transport can be utilized in the future. 

After more than a century as a popular rest stop on the Great South Road, Pokeno was bypassed by SH1 in 1995.  Whilst some predicted that the town would go into decline, the town is still today widely known as a fuel and rest stop, famous for the size of the ice creams sold there and the quality of its bacon and pork. 

It is also home to a small and close-knit residential community.  As somewhat of a blessing in disguise, the SH1 bypass now allows for the growth of a relatively compact and integrated town focused around the historic core and town centre and benefiting from good road and rail access.