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The recommendations for the upcoming Auckland Unitary Plan have been released, and it looks like the time has come to build, build, build in the City of Sails. Not up, not out, but both, as new rezoning paints a large swathe of the Auckland area into higher-density living areas, while also expanding the city rural boundaries by 30 per cent.
Should the recommendations be accepted, there could be a fresh face on real estate in New Zealand's most populous city.
A change of face
The Property Institute has slammed the plan as having "acts of cultural vandalism".
The new changes recommended by the Independent Hearings Panel include a series of intense change to the cityscape of Auckland. Among these changes include an increase of 25 per cent in the amount of area zoned for six to seven storey apartment buildings, as well as a 22 per cent reduction in the allowed area for single-house lots.
Along with the adjustment of the rules regarding heritage buildings and the expansion of the rural boundary, the City of Sails is due to have the capacity for 270,000 new dwellings within existing urban areas as well as 115,000 in future urban zones. The remainder will be split among rural areas and live-zoned land.
A somewhat mixed reaction
"We've had four years of debate and everyone has had ample opportunity to have their say."
This plan has some incredible changes that would adjust how Auckland is built for the next three decades, and it appears that a number of industry bodies and other commentators have come out in support of the recommendations.
"We've had four years of debate and everyone has had ample opportunity to have their say. The process from here is that we as a council need to consider the panel's recommendations and make final decisions," said Mayor Len Brown, who will be a major part of the Auckland Council's final decision on the recommendations.
Meanwhile, the Property Council police and advocacy manager Alex Voutratis has given in an 8/10, while economist Shamubeel Eaqub went even higher with a 9/10.
However, the reactions have not all been positive. The Property Institute has slammed the plan as having "acts of cultural vandalism" and the Council of Infrastructure Development has voiced concerns around the increased density and possible pressure on the already-strained Auckland transport system.
Regardless of these views, the decision will ultimately come down to the Auckland Council, who are set to finish their deliberations on whether or not to accept the recommendations on 19 August. Until then, residents of all stripes wait with bated breath to see what the future of real estate in Auckland looks like.
