Marlborough Smart and Connected
Marlborough Smart and Connected is an economic development strategy that implements the vision developed by Marlborough District Council in partnership with the community. The vision:
Over the next decade, Marlborough will become a globally-connected district of progressive, high-value enterprise, known for our economic efficiency, quality lifestyle, desirable location and natural environment. Marlborough will be ‘smart and connected’.
It provides guidance on actions to ensure that we are:
- Smart: Think strategically – becoming more efficient, creating new solutions, and leveraging those solutions to create new opportunities
- Connected: Don’t do it alone, get informed, get supported locally, nationally and internationally
Implementation:
The implementation of the Smart and Connected strategy is two-fold. It focuses on both an industry workstream and a community workstream. The industry groups currently underway:
There are three community groups underway:
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Aquaculture
The aquaculture sector is identified as a significant economic driver within the Marlborough business community, and indeed across the top of south.
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Blenheim Central Business District
Under the Smart and Connected Visitor Economy Industry Group and its Adaptive Action Plan, the Blenheim Business Association was formed in early 2015.
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Community Group Havelock
Havelock, the township at the base of Pelorus Sound, was the first community to form a Smart and Connected community group.
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Community Group Picton
Picton's Smart and Connected group was established in December 2014.
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Community Group Renwick
A Smart & Connected community group was set up in Renwick in March 2015.
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Destination Marketing Review
​This report has been commissioned by MDC to review how destination marketing is delivered by all stakeholders within the Marlborough region.
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Innovation Stocktake
A key aspect of the Marlborough Smart and Connected vision is the importance of supporting innovation in our economy.
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Marlborough Smart and Connected Celebrations 2016
In March 2016, an event was held to celebrate the progress and achievements of the six Smart and Connected groups that were operational at that time.
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Visitor Economy
The Visitor Economy industry discussions got underway in July 2014.
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Wood Sector
The wood sector was identified early on as presenting significant economic development potential.