Quality Urban Living Under Plan Change 58

Auckland City is proposing a plan change that will protect communities from high-rise housing tower developments, while it prepares to meet expected population growth.

For the first time, under a proposed plan change introducing the Residential 8 Zone, developers will specifically be required to meet high quality design requirements. These include private amenities, visual and sound privacy, private open space and streetscape appearance which comply with an urban design code.

Councillor Yates, chairperson of the council’s City Development Committee, is chairing a Hearings Panel of four councillors to consider submissions on Plan Change 58 - Residential 8 Zone. The Panel, which is sitting today and tomorrow, will hear a total of 104 submitters, both for and against the plan change, or proposing amendments.

Currently, the Residential 8 zone is not applied to any sites within Auckland city, with the exception of Talbot Street block in Glen Innes. Rezoning of land to Residential 8 will only occur in specified growth areas after consultation with the local communities. A statutory public notification process is required for any rezoning to occur.

Residential 8 proposes restricting development to five storeys on sites within 2 km of the city’s central business district. Building heights around town centres would be limited to three to four storeys. Residential 8 is designed to allow for more intensified living in appropriate zones, that have easy access to town centres, major transport nodes, infrastructure and recreational opportunities, in accordance with the Growth Management Strategy. The criteria requiring visual and sound privacy along with streetscape appearance, will ensure high quality urban living is achieved in Residential 8 zones.

“We’re taking great pains to cope with inevitable growth in a way that will enhance our city and suburban town centres through careful planning and quality urban design,” said Councillor Yates.

“Any suggestion that we’re about to create high rise slums or ghettos is totally irresponsible and the direct opposite of what we are encouraging developers to achieve.”

Councillors Yates said there would be widespread public consultation as plans for proposed growth areas were formulated.

The council has named the CBD, Newmarket, Glen Innes, Panmure, Mt Wellington Quarry, Otahuhu and Avondale as Priority One growth areas in the period to 2005.

Other areas, including Parnell, Ponsonby, Mt Eden, Valley/Dominion Road, Kingsland, Greenlane, Greenwoods Corner, Market Road and Waiheke, are regarded as traditional areas of stability not subject to plan changes and are limited to development currently provided for in the district plan.

© Scoop Media