Unitary Plan delivers growth at big cost – Thomas
The plan represents a massive upzoning of wide parts of Auckland. With special feature audio.
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Hawke’s Bay
Auckland mayoral hopeful Mark Thomas says the just released Unitary Plan recommendations will disappoint many looking for a balanced growth plan for Auckland. (See the Unitary Plan maps here)
The plan represents a massive upzoning of wide parts of Auckland, a 30% expansion of urban Auckland into rural areas and a reduction of character protection.
"The independent hearings panel's recommendations represent a 'gangbusters' approach to new housing, conceding that a future of oversupply is preferable to what we have today."
Mr Thomas was the only mayoral candidate present at the confidential briefing given to councillors this morning.
"The hearings panel has added rocket fuel to the original Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.
“Significant changes have been made including adopting most of the earlier residential out-of-scope proposals that council rejected in February and abandoning the pre-1944 character protection overlay with no replacement provision."
"The panel has additionally redefined the term "out-of-scope" making it much harder for subsequent appeals if the recommendations are accepted by councillors."
The panel’s plan recommends a 22% reduction in the single house zone with central and west Auckland taking the biggest hits with more than a 40% reduction.
Mr Thomas says the expansion of the RUB will mean 37,000 new houses in rural Auckland.
Although Auckland has a housing crisis, Mr Thomas says the council has been the biggest cause of slow progress by not funding new development adequately and being too slow to process consents.
"Based on my initial assessment, I don't believe the panel has established the balance needed for growth in Auckland and I suspect many Aucklanders will be alarmed at what they see."
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Sally Lindsay
Wed, 27 Jul 2016
Wed, 27 Jul 2016
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Unitary Plan delivers growth at big cost – Thomas
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