19 Feb 2026

Major refurb in store for Auckland's housing plans

From Checkpoint, 4:06 pm on 19 February 2026

The government has unveiled a major refurb of Auckland's controversial housing intensification plans. It has slashed the minimum number homes the city must plan for, from over two million down to 1.6 million. The original proposal caused an uproar, with some critics concerned about the preservation of heritage homes and intensification ruining the character of some suburbs. Auckland's Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson spoke to Lisa Owen.