A new housing development underway near Westgate in Auckland. Photo: Sharon Brettkelly
Big changes are coming that could affect the planning and the future face of the Auckland region, including the housing landscape. Aucklanders have been able to have their say on the council's proposed plan change to the Auckland Unitary Plan - it is scheduled to be publicly notified by 20 August .There's also the Resource Management Act (Enabling Housing Supply) Amendment Bill - a rare cross-party agreement designed to speed up the building of new houses - which affects Auckland and other main centres. So what impact might this have, amid talk of a period of rapid housing intensification and a loss of character buildings? Joining Kathryn to discuss it are Simon O'Connor, a former Auckland Council planner who now runs his own company, Sentinel Planning, and architect Patrick Sloan who is calling for a Government Architect role to oversee how the city develops.
