Auckland city centre intensification: Government targets height limits in growth proposal
The Government has unveiled sweeping proposals to allow buildings of unlimited height in the heart of Auckland.
An investigation into the city’s planning rules has recommended removing restrictions on building heights, tower dimensions and separation, setbacks, and floor-area ratios in the city centre.
The Government is seeking feedback on the proposed changes, which it says could unlock significantly more housing, jobs and economic activity.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon are set to speak further about the plans at a Committee for Auckland event this morning.
Bishop said the recent opening of the City Rail Link had been transformative.
“The next step is making sure our planning rules support Auckland to take full advantage of that investment, by allowing more people and businesses to locate close to world-class transport infrastructure,” Bishop said.
“Auckland’s city centre is already an economic powerhouse. It accounts for around 8% of New Zealand’s GDP and nearly 6% of the country’s jobs.
“There is enormous potential for it to grow further. Earlier this year, we launched an investigation into whether Auckland’s city centre planning rules were holding that growth back, and that work is now complete.”
The Government said economic modelling indicated that if the commercially feasible development is delivered and occupied, the recommended changes could support about 17,000 additional dwellings, 31,600 residents and 37,200 jobs in the city centre.
The modelling estimated the changes could increase annual national GDP by about $1.87 billion at full uptake, with a present value of about $42.6b over 40 years.
Auckland Minister Simon Watts said the report also recommended removing non-contributing sites from the Karangahape Rd Historic Heritage Area.
“These are sites within the heritage area that do not themselves make a significant contribution to its recognised heritage values, often because they have already been substantially altered or redeveloped,” Watts said.
“This would create greater opportunities for redevelopment on sites with limited heritage value, while continuing to protect the buildings and places that give Karangahape Rd its distinctive character.”
Examples of non-contributing sites included the Mobil petrol station at 565 Karangahape Rd and the “gravel pit” development site at 538 Karangahape Rd.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the proposals were a practical way to make the most of infrastructure Aucklanders had already paid for.
“I’ve consistently said Auckland needs to intensify in the right places. That means enabling more homes and businesses close to rapid transit, jobs and existing infrastructure.
“We have invested billions of dollars in the City Rail Link and in the roads, pipes and other infrastructure that supports the central city. Our planning rules should help us get the best possible return from that investment.”
Brown said the job now wasn’t just to enable capacity, but to ensure things were built so Auckland could make the most of the City Rail Link.
Public consultation on the proposed changes runs until 11.59pm on Friday, October 16.
The city-centre proposals are separate from Plan Change 120, Auckland Council’s wider housing intensification plan, which is open for submissions.
The final plan would allow apartment towers of 10 and 15 storeys to be built near most inner-city train stations along the Western, Eastern and Southern rail lines.
Six-storey developments would be permitted along the busiest bus routes.
The Committee for Auckland released its latest State of the City report last month, finding Auckland was fast becoming an innovation centre and taking baby steps towards becoming a tech hub.
Katie Bradford is a Senior Correspondent at the Herald. She has been a broadcast journalist for over 20 years and was based in the press gallery for 10 years. She specialises in politics, business and Auckland issues.