The National Policy Statement – Urban Design and the RMA Medium Density Residential Standards Amendments have forced upon the Auckland Council and city ratepayers another time consuming and expensive planning process, the results of which have been presented for the usual brisk late-in-the piece public consultation ending 9 May.
Auckland’s response to the government directive to intensify housing in the walkable catchments around transport hubs has produced a draft plan revisiting many of the issues and much debated solutions to the city’s housing supply crisis that were painstakingly addressed during the birth of the Auckland Unitary Plan.
The council has the discretion to decide what qualifying matters can be applied for exemption from the legislative requirement to provide intensified housing.
The Draft Plan, revealed in April, indicates infrastructure limitations - remember unswimmable beaches due to sewage overflow, devastating floods in the north west suburbs in 2021 - and environmental protections as well as a reduced classification of historic heritage and special character will be among the considerations.
To properly assess the 21,000 homes which had previously been considered of 'special character' across the city, many of which are in the oldest central city suburbs, council undertook a house-by-house survey, only fifty percent of which was conducted physically, the rest completed in a desk-top exercise utilizing google street view images. A matrix of scoring criteria was developed to determine each property’s grade in terms of special character, which may then be used as a qualifying matter.
But post pandemic the world has somewhat changed. Hybrid working means more businesses are accommodating flexi, family-friendly work-from-home options, fewer people are facing the daily commute to the city centre and corporates are deserting their large commercial leases in favour of cheaper suburban office space.
This will surely change the complexion of urban living in Auckland. Large offices may well be converted to accommodation and with the return of international students and tourists the central city could become a vibrant playground.
The suburban villages will come alive too as citizens live and work closer to home. Given that thousands of New Zealanders look likely to seek fatter fortunes in Australia and offshore, housing market demand may soften further, and when there are reputedly already 900,000 sites earmarked for development in the AUP, and according to reports some 40,000 investment properties sitting unoccupied, the supply demand equation is set to recalibrate.
A trip on the northern or north western motorways to witness the scale of development at the greenfield fringes of the city seems to give lie to the idea that there is a shortage of housing. So is it the right kind of foresight for the intensified housing prescription imposed upon Auckland to transform many parts of our city ignoring existing distinctive cultural and historic character?
When multi-storey terrace housing and apartments spring up in Arthur Street and Wood Street in Freemans Bay, as proposals to rezone those streets will allow as of right, it will be too late to save Ponsonby’s heritage. And will this deliver the first homes that young New Zealanders can afford, or more luxury harbour-view high rises that developers love?
Swanson village at the rural fringe, with its rich horticultural heritage steeped in the values of Croatian settlers is set to be rezoned terrace housing and apartment because it is all within walkable distance of the historic railway station, the terminus of the Norwestern line. Do we dare look at what is proposed for our vital food production soils of Pukekohe?
Now is the time to have your say about the draft plan. Study the maps and see how your street will be affected by zoning changes. Is the risk of pepper-potting of high rise apartments in character suburbs too much to swallow? Stressed services and infrastructure already struggles to deliver city wide. Are we putting the cart before the horse?
Auckland Transport complains it is now out of funds to deliver the public transport solutions the city desperately needs.
The Auckland Council has a short window to satisfy the government directive to deliver a plan for more housing. Residents must inject their views to ensure that the amenity we value is retained and the city is not a one-size-fits-all model, but a nuanced response to our diverse 21st century lifestyles, where sustainability, quality of life and community spirit can thrive. (JOHN ELLIOTT)
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