September 12, 2001

An Auckland Regional Council (ARC) report of available vacant land within the urban areas of the Auckland region shows that 5 of 6 surveyed councils had decreasing land capacity, both residential and business.

At the current rate of uptake approximately 25 years of vacant land is available in the region for residential purposes and 17 years for business.

Cr. Gwen Bull, Chair of the ARC’s Strategic Policy Committee says that this uptake is a reflection of population growth and was not unexpected.

“Pressure on available land for future development was one of the reasons the Auckland Regional Growth Forum was established in 1996.”

“The one district to increase its overall vacant land capacity is Rodney. This has been achieved by rezoning rural land into Future Urban Area zones.”

Through the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy, Sector Agreements and council plan changes, further capacity will be created to keep up with development demands throughout the region.

Such increased capacity is possible primarily by shifting the Metropolitan Urban Limits (MUL) as outlined in the Sector Agreements, and through increasing development density on both existing and new urban land.

Cr. Bull adds “It is pleasing to see that all parts of the region are working together to respond to these growth pressures.”

The report, Metropolitan Auckland Vacant Land Capacity Update (1999) is an update on 1996 figures. The report will be updated again in early 2002.

For more information or a copy of the report contact David Lindsey on 3662000 x8309 or email dlindsey@arc.govt.nz

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