The Government has directed councils to enable increased housing supply in urban areas to help address New Zealand’s housing shortage.

This means in Porirua we need to change our city’s planning rules to allow for three-storey buildings in all residential areas, and even taller buildings within walking distance of the city centre, local centres, commercial areas and public transport stops.

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said the current housing shortage was a very real challenge facing the region, and New Zealand as a whole.

"It’s no secret that across the nation we’re struggling to find enough houses to make sure everyone has a roof over their head and somewhere to call home. Porirua is a growing city, and we simply need more houses to meet demand," she said.

"While we’re limited in what we can do as this is a Government directive, we do want to hear from our people to make sure our local voices are heard. So please let us know what you think."

To provide feedback on the opportunities or challenges for housing intensification in Porirua you can visit poriruacity.govt.nz/housing-density and fill out a simple survey.

Northern Growth Area

Council is also proposing to rezone an area of land in the Northern Growth Area, near Pukerua Bay, for urban development to enable 1000 new homes.

Manager Environment and City Planning, Stewart McKenzie, said the goal was to provide more housing opportunities for our growing city.

The proposal includes a structure plan that addresses matters such as how the development fits with the landscape and how stormwater runoff will be managed, and identifies transport routes, the appropriate zoning of areas and the location of ecological areas for protection.

"We are interested in your feedback on the draft structure plan, so please get in touch with our team," Mr McKenzie said.

You can contact the Environment and City Planning team by emailing dpreview@poriruacity.govt.nz or phoning 237 5089.

The period for feedback on both proposals will run until Friday 6 May.

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