Property Council welcomes emphasis on density and design

22 July 2015

Property Council welcomes emphasis on density and design

Property Council is pleased Auckland Council has acknowledged that the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) needs to be more flexible.

According to Auckland Council’s analysis, there is a strong case for replacing some of the prescriptive rules with a design-based assessment, especially for developments with more than two houses.

Property Council chief executive Connal Townsend says the council’s review of its position going forward into the mediation process on the PAUP’s residential provision will achieve a better outcome for Aucklanders.

“It’s very satisfying to see council shift its position and show the flexibility we have been seeking. The proposed changes would allow for density but not necessarily at the expense of quality urban design. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to see for outcomes that benefit everybody.”

According to the council, rules (such as maximum building height and coverage, minimum setback requirements from boundaries and landscaping requirements) would be more effective in achieving a quality built environment, and ensuring homes are built according to people’s needs.

“It is heartening to see the council recognise a more flexible approach is needed to relax some of the density controls and relying on a number of key development controls and assessment criteria to manage developments and outdoor areas.

“The council is talking about removing all density controls in the Mixed Housing Urban Zone (which is generally the closest to good public transport and town centres), and requiring instead a resource consent for more than two houses.

“This is a positive step as at the moment, the current (and notified) version of the PAUP imposes density limits on anything less than two houses.”

According to the Productivity Commission, soaring land costs teamed with previous density restrictions has forced developers to build large houses most people cannot afford.

But Auckland desperately needs to achieve the Auckland Plan’s density targets to house our growing population.

This must be enabled through sufficient development capacity and land supply, and building up to 70% of new houses within, and up to 40% of new houses outside the metropolitan area 2010, by 2040.

Developing land zoned ‘future urban’ within the rural urban boundary must also take place in an orderly, timely and planned manner.

“We need urban design to reflect practical and operational requirements, otherwise it just becomes too rigid and results in complexity, and costs which will delay development projects… leading to more costs.”

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