09/03/2026
PC120 meeting today.
Unfortunately I am away for my wedding anniversary and wont be at todays meeting but I will be listening to this once back and will continue to advocate for what locals and Aucklanders want. (remember today no councillors will have any feedback on the 10k submissions) Seems a very strange process to be even having this meeting without factual data on the public submissions that we paid $4million dollars for.
Anyway, below are eight principals that will be discussed. I was interested to read the St Kent's mention kentigerns
Here are some snippets and link from NZ Herald article.
The eight principles councillors will consider at today’s policy, planning and development committee are:
Retain downzoning for natural hazards, such as flooding and landslides, already notified.
Retain mandatory intensification in walkable catchments and five CRL stations.
Retain intensification that maximises investment in the CRL.
Decrease housing capacity using a distance of more than 10km from the city centre as a starting point.
Decrease housing capacity along corridors, starting with lower-ranked bus corridors.
Retain qualifying matters (eg, special character areas).
Provide a buffer from the 1.6m figure to give the independent hearings panel some flexibility when making recommendations to the council.
Investigate additional down-zoning for natural hazards.
Senior council planners have also recommended a mix of alternatives to increase and decrease capacity to achieve the 1.6 million figure - 400,000 more than the 1.2 million enabled under the current Unitary Plan.
Options to reduce capacity include down-zoning more properties at greatest risk from natural hazards, and changing rules to improve the quality of buildings and neighbourhoods.
This point has caught the attention of one of Auckland’s most experienced architects, Andrew Patterson, who said the council should draw on the expertise of architects and urban designers who understand development economics and site realities first-hand, and know how to create a more liveable, attractive and coherent city with far less angst.
He said that when development capacity is spread thinly across thousands of sites, the market gravitates toward the easiest projects, such as clusters of townhouses on suburban sections.
A more fine‑grained approach - identifying where mid‑rise housing genuinely works and where it does not - could achieve the same housing outcomes while producing a more coherent city, Patterson said.
The council has until March 17 to respond to Bishop.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop. Photo / Dean Purcell
Housing Minister Chris Bishop. Photo / Dean Purcell
Once the Government passes legislation for the 1.6 million figure - expected later this month or next month - the council will prepare draft maps for the changes.
Aucklanders will then have the opportunity for new submissions on Plan Change 120 (PC120) - the council’s response to the Government’s directive to plan for a capacity of two million homes, which drew more than 10,500 submissions.
An independent hearings panel will consider all of the submissions and make recommendations to the council.
Bishop has made it clear he wants the revised PC120 wrapped up by May 2027.
Auckland planners are suggesting more intensification around schools, such as Saint Kentigern College in Pakuranga. Photo / Jason Oxenham
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland/auckland-intensification-shift-fringe-suburbs-face-lower-housing-targets/Q2WE2MPUL5CSPDIYW2W5AEYRQU/
