25 Sep 2015

Government wants faster Housing NZ building

10:23 am on 25 September 2015

The Government wants Housing New Zealand to speed up building in Auckland.

The agency is six months behind with its new build programme nationally, and the minister responsible for it, Bill English, wants faster work in Auckland where homes are in short supply.

Mr English said while it has lifted its building rate, it could go faster.

The agency has 800 new homes in the pipeline in Auckland with plans for two and a half thousand more.

Mr English said it was partly held back by uncertainty in the city's still incomplete Unitary Plan,which would affect how intensively it could redevelop in some areas.