What you need to know about Auckland's new housing intensification plan

Explainer - Auckland Council recently decided between two plans to pave the way for more houses to be built in the city.

The original plan, known as Plan Change 78 - a directive from the previous government for the council to allow for more high-density and three-storey housing - has been scrapped.

A majority of councillors voted in late September to endorse a new plan which focuses on 10-15-storey high-rises around public transport hubs.

The process has been controversial. Several public meetings were held where residents voiced their concerns about proposed intensification plans to elected representatives, including Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith.

While debating the plans last month, councillors were asked to stop using "violent language".

But Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the new plan meant a rational discussion about how and where people should live could be had.

"It's really not rocket science.

"We need a physically and financially resilient future. This will allow us to downzone flood-prone land and build up in areas that make sense - like around transport corridors, walkable catchments, and where we have invested significantly in infrastructure, in water pipes, roads, and train lines.

"The public will get to have their say through hearings, submissions and through their local representatives. I look forward to hearing the public debate."

Why were there two options to increase housing density?

Following flooding that devastated the Auckland region in 2023, the council expressed concerns about Plan Change 78 and requested changes to the law. They highlighted that the current regulations did not enable them to prevent the construction of new homes in areas at high risk of flooding.

• Read more about Plan Change 120 from Auckland Council here.

Plan Change 120 was what councillors decided to replace the old plan with. A majority voted to support a draft proposal going out for public consultation at their final Policy and Planning Committee meeting on 24 September, before local elections this weekend.

Is the government requiring Auckland to increase its housing capacity?

Yes. The government allowed the council to withdraw Plan Change 78, on the condition the council came up with a replacement plan that enabled at least the same housing capacity as Plan Change 78 - approximately two million homes.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown also directed the council earlier this year to allow for more housing around City Rail Link stations, the $5.5 billion project set to open next year.

What exactly is Auckland's new housing intensification plan?

The new plan prioritises more homes within walking distance (10 minutes) of train stations, including those set to open next year as part of the City Rail Link.

The plan suggests 15-storey buildings around Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Kingsland and Morningside train stations and 10-storey buildings around Mount Albert and Baldwin Avenue stations.

As with Plan Change 78, the new plan is also required to enable high-density housing, such as apartments, within 15 minutes of the city centre, and within 10 minutes of Northern and Eastern Busway stops.

High-density housing will also be within 10 minutes of Auckland's large metropolitan centres, including Newmarket, Manukau, New Lynn, Sylvia Park, Botany, Papakura, Takapuna, Henderson, Albany, Westgate and Drury.

The new plan also requires any area proposed for development to undergo a strict natural hazard risk assessment before being approved.

Are two million homes actually being built?

Short answer, no. In fact, far fewer homes are expected to be built.

According to the council, Auckland has built around 14,000 homes a year since 2018, roughly 100,000 in total. At that pace, it would take over 100 years to reach two million. The council projected that housing demand over the next 30 years would require about 241,000 new homes.

Two million is not a construction target, but the maximum number of homes that the government wants the city to be able to have if every suitable site, including sites that already have houses, were fully developed.

The idea is to allow space for more homes in the long-term future if the city needs them. But what gets built is up to property owners and developers.

Why some residents and councillors are concerned

Hundreds of people packed out meetings like the ones at the Mt Eden Village Centre, organised by the Character Coalition.

Residents were concerned that both of the plans suggested would remove the 'special character' status of hundreds of villas and bungalows in their neighbourhood. They also argued the plans did not consider the pressure increased housing would have on already stretched infrastructure, like storm water, waste water, and schools.

At a fiery and drawn-out council meeting on the issue, most councillors were supportive of intensification around transport hubs.

But Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Councillor Christine Fletcher said the process had been rushed and called for more time to fix issues with Plan Change 120. However, her request was voted down by her fellow councillors.

Howick Councillor Maurice Williamson said he would not be happy with either option, comparing it to choosing between a firing squad and a lethal injection. The comment prompted chair Richard Hills to call for councillors to stop using "violent language".

But a majority of councillors agreed Plan Change 120 was the better option of the two on the table.

Mayor Brown warned that if they did not make a decision by 10 October, they risked Bishop making one for them.

Waitākere Councillor Shane Henderson said the replacement plan would give first-home buyers a "fair chance", and provide more housing for those "struggling to get a roof over their head".

Hills argued that special character areas would be protected by no longer forcing them to have three-storey zoning. He acknowledged areas like Mount Eden and Kingsland could still be affected, but that people would have to sell or develop their own character properties to get rid of them.

Several residents at the council meeting were frustrated there had been no early consultation process, which the council conceded would have been best practice, but with a government timeframe to decide by 10 October and the legislation passing at the end of August, not enough time was left.

What happens now?

Bishop said the next step was for the council to seek his direction on a timeframe for the new plan to become law.

Public consultation was expected to run from 3 November to 19 December for Aucklanders to have their say on how and where housing growth should happen, with the council opening submissions online.

Submissions on the plan were expected to be heard by an independent panel of experts, who would then make a recommendation to the council.

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