Porirua Suburb and Locality Names go to Public Consultation

Twenty-two suburbs and localities within the Porirua City Council confines will go to public consultation before becoming official geographic names.

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa yesterday considered a proposal by the Porirua City Council to formalise 22 suburb and locality names and their extents. The Board, New Zealand’s place naming authority, is responsible for naming of suburbs and localities.

Board Chairman Dr Don Grant said the names are a combination of old and new. "Some will be well known to the local communities while others won’t necessarily be that familiar."

Porirua has been an area of rapid growth and development over the years, and the Council was keen to have suburb and locality boundaries defined and officially named, Dr Grant said.

The proposed suburb names are: Aotea; Cannons Creek; Kenepuru; Paremata; Porirua City Centre; Takapūwāhia; Whitby; Ascot Park; Pukerua Bay; Tītahi Bay; Camborne; Elsdon; Papakōwhai; Plimmerton; Rānui; Waitangirua.

The proposed locality names are: Mana Island; Pāuatahanui; Judgeford; Colonial Knob; Horokiri; Hongoeka.

The public will have an opportunity to make submissions, either for or against these suburb and locality names, when the Board opens the proposals up to consultation in late August or early September, for a period of 3 months.