Stop-gap Auckland housing plan announced
Government, Auckland Council end stand-off over Auckland's housing crisis.
Auckland mayor Len Brown and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith have announced a new housing accord as a stop-gap measure until the unitary plan comes into effect in three years.
The accord is subject to agreement by Auckland Council’s governing body.
It proposes a streamlined consenting process for new housing developments. This process will be subject to the rules of the notified unitary plan, which will reflect feedback now being gathered from Aucklanders in the public engagement process.
The plan is due to be notified in September.
“It’s right that government and the council work together to address the immediate housing challenges facing Auckland,” Mr Brown says.
“This won’t solve all of our housing challenges, but it will ensure we work in a co-ordinated way with the government to enable more pace around home building and create options for affordable homes.
“My bottom line has always been that an agreement with the government on housing must be acceptable to Aucklanders and consistent with the balanced approach in our unitary plan.
“We are still engaging with Aucklanders on the draft plan, and final shape will reflect what we have heard from them over 10 weeks of public engagement.”
The accord is conditional on legislation allowing the council to indentify Special Housing Areas (SHAs) inside the proposed Rural Urban Boundary.
Parties can apply for "qualifying developments" within an SHA as long as they are predominantly residential, have capacity for 50 or more dwellings or vacant residential sites (in new greenfields areas), or at least five or more dwellings/vacant residential sites in brownfield areas.
They developments must be a maximum of six storeys or the height provisions in the notified unitary plan (whichever is lowest).
Niko Kloeten
Fri, 10 May 2013
Fri, 10 May 2013
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Stop-gap Auckland housing plan announced
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