19 Feb 2026

Explainer: What on earth is going on with Auckland's housing?

From Afternoons, 1:10 pm on 19 February 2026

Housing Minister Chris Bishop has outlined changes to housing densification plans for Auckland - with cabinet agreeing to lower the maximum number of houses in Auckland from 2 million to at least 1.6 million. The U-turn comes after Auckland Council had been progressing a new plan to accommodate up to 2 million homes in the coming decades.

Housing construction in an East Auckland suburb

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

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