Housing density rules are back in the spotlight in our biggest city, as Auckland Council reacts to the effects of extreme summer storms and flooding on its multi-storey housing plans. The council recently received a one-year reprieve from Environment Minister David Parker on hearings to determine the new housing intensification rules across the city, so housing in at-risk flooding areas can be more thoroughly investigated. And from recent council communications it is our impression that most, if not all Plan Change 78 hearings in Auckland have been put on hold for 12 months, not just those related to flood hazards – we’ll be keeping tabs on that as it develops further.
As the medium density residential standards (MDRS) progress through the hearings process for all other affected councils, you may still have some questions about these standards and what they mean for your property or development plans – there were certainly plenty of discussions and pertinent queries on the standards at the NZPI conference last month.
If yes, or you know someone that does want to learn more, check out our FAQ document on the standards now. We’ve covered all the basics on what we do know at this point, so you can get clued up on everything from qualifying matters to the consents required (or not required).
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