Auckland is set to grow further, following Government requirements to allow more development around City Rail Link stations.
The Government will require Auckland to allow even greater housing and development around City Rail Link stations, ensuring that Auckland takes economic advantage of this transformational investment in the city, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown said.
“CRL is a massive multi-billion dollar investment for the Government and Auckland Council. It’s important that we get ‘bang for buck’ by maximising the opportunities for economic growth and increased productivity that the CRL will bring when it opens next year,” Bishop said.
“Recently, we announced that Auckland Council and the Government had reached agreement to free up more land for housing, particularly around stations that will benefit from the CRL investment.”
The Resource Management (Consenting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill currently requires Auckland to allow for greater density around the key stations of Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside.
The Bill currently provides that Auckland Council must enable within a walkable distance from these stations heights and densities reflective of the higher demand for housing and business in these areas, and at a minimum, no less than six storeys.
The Government has decided that these requirements, while a step forward, don’t go far enough. The Government will therefore move an amendment to the Bill at the Committee of the Whole House stage, which will do the following:
- Extend the requirement to enable heights and densities reflective of the demand for housing and business to two additional stations: Mt Albert and Baldwin Avenue.
- Require upzoning allowing buildings of at least 15 storeys high around the stations of Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside.
- Require upzoning allowing buildings of at least 10 storeys high around Mt Albert and Baldwin Avenue stations.
“The City Rail Link is a game-changing investment in the future of Auckland. It will unlock significant economic opportunity, but only if we have a planning system to allow businesses and residents to take advantage of it,” Brown said.
“City Rail Link is a more than NZD 5 billion investment in Auckland’s continued growth. Enabling greater housing intensification along this corridor will help us maximise the benefits of this investment and provide more homes in a city geared up for growth.”
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said once this law is passed, the city can get on with intensification.
“We've now fixed the city centre and rapid transport corridors, and I look forward to working with the government to make sure we deliver growth in the right places for the rest of the region,” Mayor Brown said.
Bishop said the Resource Management (Consenting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill allowed Auckland Council to withdraw its intensification plan change, PC78, with a requirement to notify a new plan change by 10 October this year.
“The upzoning we’re announcing today will be incorporated into that new plan change,” Bishop added.
“We thank Auckland Council, and particularly Mayor Brown and Councillor Richard Hills, for their continued sensible and collaborative approach. We look forward to seeing Auckland take its place in the world as a vibrant, productive centre for innovation and opportunity, where people actively want to live and work.”
More news here.
