Auckland (Avneet Kaur)
Auckland Council has released new maps outlining where taller buildings and higher-density housing could be allowed across the city, as councillors prepare to make a key decision on Auckland’s future growth.
The proposals form part of the long-running Plan Change 120 process, which aims to meet government housing requirements while balancing concerns about infrastructure, transport and neighbourhood character.
Four options have been put forward, ranging from minimal changes to existing planning rules through to large-scale intensification across the city.
Council staff have recommended Option B as their preferred approach. Under this proposal, more housing would be concentrated around train stations, major bus routes and town centres. Apartment buildings of up to 10 storeys could be allowed around more rail stations, while six-storey developments could be permitted along additional transport corridors.
Option B would provide capacity for an estimated 1.515 million to 1.715 million homes across Auckland.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has publicly indicated support for a denser approach closer to Option C, which would allow greater development in areas with strong transport links while limiting intensification in locations with poorer access. Under this option, more 10 to 15-storey apartment buildings could be built in selected parts of the city.
Meanwhile, ACT leader and Epsom MP David Seymour is backing Option A, which largely maintains the zoning framework established under Auckland’s Unitary Plan adopted a decade ago.
Seymour argues that increasing building heights alone will not solve Auckland’s housing affordability challenges and says many residents are concerned about significant changes to established suburbs.
The four options differ in the amount of housing they would allow:
*Option A:* Closest to current Unitary Plan rules, with capacity for approximately 1.4 million to 1.5 million homes.
*Option B:* Council staff’s preferred option, allowing capacity for approximately 1.515 million to 1.715 million homes.
*Option C:* Greater intensification around transport hubs and key growth areas, with capacity for approximately 1.47 million to 1.67 million homes.
*Option D:* Closest to the original Plan Change 120 proposal and capable of accommodating around 2 million homes, although it is considered unlikely following changes made by the Government to Auckland’s housing targets.
Planning Committee Chair Richard Hills said Option B seeks to strike a balance between increasing housing supply and protecting existing communities. He said most Auckland suburbs would see little or no change compared with current Unitary Plan provisions.
Hills also warned that reducing Auckland’s overall housing capacity could place upward pressure on house prices in the future, while supporters of intensification argue that increasing housing supply remains essential if Auckland is to improve affordability and accommodate future population growth.
The proposals will now be considered by a council committee before being referred to local boards and iwi for feedback. They will then go to the full council for a vote next month, followed by public consultation and hearings before any final decisions are made.
