Q+A: Auckland Mayor Len Brown - 170 houses built in Special Housing Areas

Auckland mayor Len Brown told TV One’s Q+A programme that 170 houses have been built in Special Housing Areas as a result of the Housing Accord between Auckland City and the government.

“…so under the Special Housing Areas we know that of the sections created and the building consents given, which is around 1200, there have been 170 houses built as a consequence. And the reason why we know that is because we are actually holding much, much closer focus on those Special Housing Areas.”

At the mid-way point, the Housing Accord has so far approved more than 16-thousand building consents.

When asked whether measures should be put in place to oblige developers to speed up construction the mayor said, “can you imagine? What can the Auckland Mayor do or the Auckland Council do to force a developer into actually developing ahead of the time in which their own market analysis tells them to develop? Auckland’s way forward is basically providing choice.. “

Mayor Len Brown also told the programme the average cost of consent is around $33,000 per site.

The mayor wouldn’t be drawn on whether he would stand again.

Q+A, 9-10am Sundays on TV ONE and one hour later on TV ONE plus 1. Repeated Sunday evening at 11:35pm. Streamed live at www.tvnz.co.nz

Thanks to the support from NZ On Air.

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