The Southland Regional Spaces and Places Strategy is the result of a collaboration between Active Southland, Sport New Zealand, Invercargill City Council, Gore District Council, Southland District Council, Invercargill Licensing Trust, ILT Foundation, Community Trust South and Mataura Licensing Trust.

The Strategy was borne out of a willingness by those organisations to work together to create and implement a more aligned approach to the regional planning of spaces and places, relating to play, active recreation and sport, across Southland.

There is a shared understanding that this aligned approach is vital to ensuring Southland’s future investment into spaces and places provides the best value, outcomes and quality experiences for the community. 

WORKING TOGETHER FOR SOUTHLAND

The Southland Spaces and Places Advisory Group is bringing the Southland Regional Spaces and Places Strategy to life. The Advisory Group includes representatives from local government and community funders and has the ability to involve other key decision makers, acknowledging that a range of stakeholders hold important roles in the play, active recreation and sport sector. The goal is to optimises spaces and places across the region, supporting the wellbeing (hauora) of all Southlanders now and into the future.

GOT AN IDEA FOR A SPACE OR FACILITY?

The Southland Spaces and Places Project Review Pathway is designed to support the development of stronger sport, active recreation and play facility proposals before seeking significant investment.

For sport, active recreation or play facility projects with a total cost of more than $50,000, applicants will access the Southland Spaces and Places Advisory Group (SPAG) pathway supported by Active Southland’s Spaces and Places Lead. This pathway provides strategic advice, regional insights, connections and expertise to help strengthen project planning, demonstrate community need, identify partnership opportunities and improve long-term sustainability.

Through the process, the SPAG offers an independent perspective on how a project contributes to broader community outcomes, accessibility, network efficiency and the aspirations of the Murihiku Southland Spaces and Places Strategy 2023, which is a key document for community funders.

Importantly, the SPAG does not make funding decisions. The pathway provides non-binding advice and a Project Support Summary that applicants will provide to funders, councils and partners as supporting information alongside funding applications.

While Southland councils and community funders retain their independent decision-making authority, they recognise the value of Project Support Summaries and intend to consider them as an important part of their assessment processes, helping to strengthen viable proposals and identify where further development may be needed to align with regional and national guidance.

Applicants are encouraged to contact Active Southland’s Spaces and Places Lead as early as possible. The pathway will be managed in a timely and proportionate way, with expected timeframes confirmed at the first conversation based on the project’s stage, complexity and the next available SPAG discussion. The Spaces and Places Lead will work with applicants to avoid unnecessary delays to funding applications.

The goal is to create stronger projects, better evidence, smarter investment, reduced duplication and better outcomes for Southland communities.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

NOT SURE WHERE TO START?

Whether you're at the very beginning of an idea or already working through a facility challenge, get in touch before investing significant time or money into developing a solution