Housing changes planned for Auckland Photo: 123rf
Under the banner "The Future of Your Neighbourhood, " Auckland's Character Coaltion group held a meeting in Mount Eden last night where local politicians and MPs were grilled over council proposals for urban intensification and a planned loss of Special Character status for homes in the area. next week, a similar meeting is being held in Parnell, been called by the MP for Epsom, David Seymour.
Both are in response to the Auckland Council approving the first phase of plans to accommodate up to two million new homes by changing how and where those homes would be built.
The latest plan follows an option from the RMA reform minister, Chris Bishop, to allow the council to opt out of medium density provisions across the whole city and to focus instead on greater intensification near transport hubs.
This could result in apartment blocks up to 15 stories high to ensure people are living near the new central rail link, and the removal of character protections, especially in Kingsland.
The Minister and Auckland's Mayor, Wayne Brown, say the intensification is needed to make the most of the $5.5b rail link investment and to reduce congestion.
But Christine Fletcher, the councillor who represents both Mr Eden and Kingsland, has described the plans, and reduced opportunity for feedback, as planning by firing squad.
To explain the range of changes being proposed Kathryn is joined Richard Hills, who is The Chair of Auckland Council's Policy & Planning Committee, and Christine Fletcher who was one of the speakers at the meeting in Mt Eden last night.
