The goal is not to spend more, but to make every investment work harder, writes Warren and Mahoney Principal Architect Vajini Pannila. Vajini is giving a talk at the SuperLocal conference in Rotorua in October.
Local government has an exciting opportunity. Rather than viewing culture, recreation and placemaking as discretionary spending, councils can see them as investments that unlock greater value from the infrastructure they already have.
Great places are built by embracing what already exists. Natural landscapes, heritage, local stories, community events, public spaces and cultural identity all contribute to creating places that feel distinctive and memorable. The goal is not to spend more, but to make every investment work harder.
Across New Zealand, local government is facing one of the most challenging periods in its history. Rising infrastructure costs, ageing assets, financial constraint, reform, and the prospect of council amalgamation are forcing difficult decisions about where limited resources should be invested.
At the same time, communities continue to expect places that are vibrant, connected, and desirable. Places where people want to live, work, visit and invest.
The communities that continue to thrive rarely do so because of infrastructure alone. They succeed because they create places that people genuinely want to be part of. Lifestyle, identity, belonging and opportunity have become powerful economic drivers. Increasingly, people choose places not only for employment or affordability, but because they can imagine building a fulfilling life there.
Roads or libraries. Pipes or parks. Water or culture. Recently, local needs have been framed as a choice between essential infrastructure or community investment.
What if these simplified trade-offs are asking the wrong questions? What if considering and drawing on the unique qualities of each region can deliver on a wider cross section of needs simultaneously without costing more?
There are encouraging examples already emerging across New Zealand.
Whanganui has deliberately invested in creativity as an economic development strategy. Its recognition as New Zealand’s only UNESCO City of Design has reinforced investment in heritage, public spaces and creative industries, strengthening the city’s identity and confidence.
The lesson is clear. Places that understand what makes them unique and invest in amplifying those qualities, become more attractive to residents, visitors and businesses.
The same principle is evident in New Zealand’s Great Rides. What began as recreational infrastructure now generates more than $1.28 billion annually for regional economies. The return has come not only from the trails themselves, but from the businesses, communities and economic activity they have supported.
It is a compelling reminder that well-targeted investment in place can deliver economic, social and environmental outcomes simultaneously.
Councils that thrive
Our message to local government is simple: The next generation of great places will not be created by spending more money than your neighbours. They will be created by seeing more opportunity in what you already have.
Every district has unique advantages. A river. A coastline. A mountain. A town square. A story. A community event. A cultural tradition. A local business community.
These are not simply amenities. They are the foundations of identity, belonging, and economic resilience. The councils that thrive over the next decade will be those that learn to connect these assets into a compelling vision of place.
Custodians of place
This is the thinking behind our SuperLocal workshop: rather than presenting another list of aspirational case studies that can feel increasingly out of reach, this session creates space for councils to share experiences, challenge assumptions and learn from one another.
Together, we’ll explore how to strengthen local identity, activate existing places, and maximise the value of community investment by building on the assets communities already possess.
Drawing on our experience delivering strategies and projects across New Zealand at every scale, our team will guide participants through practical examples, emerging ideas and collaborative discussions that demonstrate how investment in place can create stronger communities without demanding ever-increasing budgets.
We’ll explore how councils can build confidence to make decisions that create enduring value for generations to come and, more importantly, we’ll challenge the assumption that fiscal responsibility and community ambition sit at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Because ultimately, councils and councillors are not simply managers of infrastructure. You are custodians of place. You are shaping the places people choose to call home. And in the end, people don’t fall in love with pipes and roads. They fall in love with places, and with the opportunity to build a fulfilling life within them.