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Franklin Local Board and Papakura Local Board will soon get the chance to give feedback on
draft changes to Auckland’s planning rules.
draft changes to Auckland’s planning rules.
Auckland Council says the changes will better protect people and property from high-risk
hazards, while focusing more on homes close to town centres with jobs, shops, services, and frequent public transport.
On August 22, Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee agreed to release the draft changes to go to the council’s local boards and mana whenua for their feedback.
Councillor Richard Hills, chair of the Policy and Planning Committee, said it’s clear that flooding is one of Auckland’s greatest challenges, and we need the strongest rules possible to protect people and property.
“We’ve advocated strongly for the government to give us the ability to introduce stronger rules to reduce inappropriate development in areas at high risk of floods, coastal erosion and inundation since 2023.
“Going back to the Auckland Unitary Plan is not an option. The only choice available to us is
between Plan Change 78 and a replacement plan change that enables the same or more housing capacity.”
Plan Change 78 is Auckland’s response to the last government’s policy to allow higher-density housing to be built across the region. This incorporates the Medium Density Residential Standards, which take a blanket approach to allow three-storey housing to be built across the region. This would apply to most residential areas of Auckland, including those that flood and areas without sufficient infrastructure.
The draft plan change proposes to focus higher-density housing in areas with good public
transport, jobs and businesses, shops and services, but not where it floods.
The measures proposed to deal with natural hazards are:
- ‘Non-complying’ activity status being used to assess consents for development in high-risk areas, giving the council full discretion over whether development can go ahead.
- Tighter risk assessments for development in locations impacted by natural hazards in any zone, raising the bar that must be met for an activity to be approved.
- Downzoning to single-house zone in the worst-affected areas to limit density and exposure.
- Updated mapping so Aucklanders have a current, up-to-date view of the natural hazards
that could impact their area. - Focusing development in the best-connected places.
