Napier-Hastings Urban Area
Encyclopedia
The Napier-Hastings Urban Area is a New Zealand
urban area
that covers the twin cities of Napier
and Hastings
. It is the fifth largest urban area in the country with a population of over 128,600. This is closely followed by Tauranga (116,000), and Dunedin (114,900).
While the two cities remain separated by 10km of rural land, there is sufficient economic and social integration between the cities for Statistics New Zealand
to aggregate them into a single unit. However, like the urban areas of Auckland
, Hamilton
and Wellington
, the Napier-Hastings urban area is subdivided into urban zones. Both zones have a population of around 60,000. The urban area contains around three quarters of the population of the entire Hawke's Bay.
and Dunedin
. The plan for the new council is to also absorb the Wairoa
and Central Hawkes Bay councils to make a super regional council of 150,000 people.
Part of recognition of New Zealand's 5th largest population centre is being labelled that way. Many residents have bought forth renaming the city to reflect this to the rest of the nation instead of referring to the cities by their current separate names. Names proposed include:
Although the Napier Urban Zone has a smaller population than Hastings Urban Zone, Napier is traditionally seen as the capital of the Hawke's Bay. This is partly historical as Napier was the seat of the provincial government of the 'Hawkes Bay Province'. The continued perception of Napier being larger is partly because Hastings' population is divided between Hastings proper and its satellite towns of Flaxmere and Havelock North (separated from the main urban core by small rural tracts of land). This was originally the case with Napier and Taradale but was subject to intense development of residential suburbs to spread slowly south towards Taradale and Greenmeadows (17,000 pop).
Napier also hosts the regions only port (the far majority of export coming from Hastings' industry and food processing), the regions only domestic airport, the region's High Court, the local polytechnic college, and the Hawkes Bay Regional Council Headquarters. Napier, due to its more 'boutique' feel, attracts a larger concentration of national chain stores compared to Hastings, which would be unusual for a city of over 70,000 if not so closely located.
, Clive
and Haumoana
. The Hastings District Council consists of almost half of the total population of Hawke's Bay, with 74,000 people. The main urban zone of Hastings however contains around 60,000 of this (Hastings Central at 30,000, Havelock North at 10,000, Flaxmere at 10,000, and various smaller settlements with in the immediate Hastings area, ie not including settlements and rural communities in the former Hawkes Bay County Council).
Hastings has gained a number of services in the process of pre-ammalgamation, for instance Hawkes Bay Hospital (the regions' major public hospital), Hawkes Bay Today (Hawkes Bay's only daily paper), and Hawkes Bay Regional Sports Park. Hastings also contains the regions' showgrounds, racecourse, and hosts the larger format retail stores like Harvey Norman, K-mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Spotlight, and various other LFT stores.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
urban area
Urban areas of New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand defines New Zealand urban areas for statistical purposes. The urban areas comprise cities, towns and other 'conurbations' of a thousand people or more. In combination, the urban areas of the country constitute New Zealand's urban population...
that covers the twin cities of Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
and Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
. It is the fifth largest urban area in the country with a population of over 128,600. This is closely followed by Tauranga (116,000), and Dunedin (114,900).
While the two cities remain separated by 10km of rural land, there is sufficient economic and social integration between the cities for Statistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand is the national statistical office of New Zealand.-Organisation:New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government...
to aggregate them into a single unit. However, like the urban areas of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, the Napier-Hastings urban area is subdivided into urban zones. Both zones have a population of around 60,000. The urban area contains around three quarters of the population of the entire Hawke's Bay.
Amalgamation
Amalgamation is currently a major issue for Napier and Hastings residents, mainly due to local body elections. Both cities had previously had smaller amalgamations (Napier absorbed Taradale, Hastings absorbed Havelock North), and even a referendum on a joint Hastings and Napier in 1999. This referendum resulted in 75% 'no' vote from Napier residents, and a 64% 'yes' vote from Hastings residents. Many say the referendum was called too early and many Napier residents were still bitter about the closing of Napier Hospital in 1998 and making Hastings Hospital the only public hospital in the region. The momentum is growing though as the majority of the residents see the benefit of a stronger unity of being 'officially' considered a single entity that would be larger than TaurangaTauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
and Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. The plan for the new council is to also absorb the Wairoa
Wairoa
Wairoa is a town in New Zealand's North Island. It is the northernmost town in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of Mahia Peninsula...
and Central Hawkes Bay councils to make a super regional council of 150,000 people.
Part of recognition of New Zealand's 5th largest population centre is being labelled that way. Many residents have bought forth renaming the city to reflect this to the rest of the nation instead of referring to the cities by their current separate names. Names proposed include:
- Heretaunga (the name of the plains that both cities are situated)
- Hawkes Bay City (reflecting both recognised location and 'city' status)
- Hawke (again, coinciding with the name of the region)
- The Bay City (This perhaps is more in jest, and is already a common nicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
) - Napier-Hastings (The status quo, but still does not address the issue)
Napier Urban Zone
Napier Urban Zone includes Napier City (25,000) and two tracts of rural land from Hastings District: Bay View (500) to the north and Waiohiki (100) to the south. It also includes the township of Taradale (20,000).Although the Napier Urban Zone has a smaller population than Hastings Urban Zone, Napier is traditionally seen as the capital of the Hawke's Bay. This is partly historical as Napier was the seat of the provincial government of the 'Hawkes Bay Province'. The continued perception of Napier being larger is partly because Hastings' population is divided between Hastings proper and its satellite towns of Flaxmere and Havelock North (separated from the main urban core by small rural tracts of land). This was originally the case with Napier and Taradale but was subject to intense development of residential suburbs to spread slowly south towards Taradale and Greenmeadows (17,000 pop).
Napier also hosts the regions only port (the far majority of export coming from Hastings' industry and food processing), the regions only domestic airport, the region's High Court, the local polytechnic college, and the Hawkes Bay Regional Council Headquarters. Napier, due to its more 'boutique' feel, attracts a larger concentration of national chain stores compared to Hastings, which would be unusual for a city of over 70,000 if not so closely located.
Hastings Urban Zone
Hastings Urban Zone is completely within Hastings District and includes Havelock North, FlaxmereFlaxmere
Flaxmere is a suburb in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island.It is located North-west to the town of Hastings City, and is regarded as a suburb of its larger neighbor. It had a population of 10,400 according to the Hastings Council....
, Clive
Clive, New Zealand
The small town of Clive is located ten kilometres south of Napier in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. It is close to the mouth of the Ngaruroro River....
and Haumoana
Haumoana
-The Beach:Haumoana is located twelve kilometres south of Napier and ten kilometres east of Hastings. The village incorporates a school, a Presbyterian Church, a general store, a takeaway shop, a hall and a fire station. The village was developed as a holiday settlement with baches, and the...
. The Hastings District Council consists of almost half of the total population of Hawke's Bay, with 74,000 people. The main urban zone of Hastings however contains around 60,000 of this (Hastings Central at 30,000, Havelock North at 10,000, Flaxmere at 10,000, and various smaller settlements with in the immediate Hastings area, ie not including settlements and rural communities in the former Hawkes Bay County Council).
Hastings has gained a number of services in the process of pre-ammalgamation, for instance Hawkes Bay Hospital (the regions' major public hospital), Hawkes Bay Today (Hawkes Bay's only daily paper), and Hawkes Bay Regional Sports Park. Hastings also contains the regions' showgrounds, racecourse, and hosts the larger format retail stores like Harvey Norman, K-mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Spotlight, and various other LFT stores.