Housing intensification in limbo until new government is formed

For almost two years Devonport Heritage and other heritage groups have been fighting to defend our historic housing areas from being ruined by intensive, multi-storey housing developments. (Medium Density Residential Standards)

Government directed Auckland Council to introduce a plan change (78) to enact the legislation that would allow 3 dwellings of three storeys on every house site in Auckland.

We submitted along with thousands of others, that this ad hoc, unplanned development was the antithesis of sound city planning and would create urban sprawl and poor housing.

We also campaigned to have Special Character Areas exempt from this intensification.

When the calamitous storms hit the city last summer, council delayed much of the process until investigations into flooding hazards could be carried out and it has been largely stalled ever since.

With a new government the future of the MDRS is even more uncertain.

Auckland Council has already spent millions on the plan change process but recently asked the Independent Hearings Panel to defer the scheduling of further hearings until the government’s position is known.

However the Panel recently said it cannot defer the hearings as it is legally obliged to continue with the process.

There are various possibilities facing government and Auckland Council:

• Repeal the MDRS legislation and allow the Auckland Unitary Plan to remain unchanged

• Allow councils to opt out of the process if they chose

• Carry on with the plan change 78.

We believe the MDRS should be repealed, Plan Change 78 abandoned and the Auckland Unitary Plan should continue as the council’s principal planning instrument.

Mayor Brown has said Aucklanders should make decisions about their city, not central government and let us hope that councillors agree.

Margot McRae
Chairperson