NPS-UD and MDRS in Disarray
Auckland Council's implementation of the NPS-UD and MDRS is in disarray following recent storm events, a belated decision to include the light rail corridor, the resignation of two commissioners and the National Party's decision to withdraw support for the MDRS ...read more
RMA Reform: the Resource Consent Process
How will the resource consent process change under the Natural and Built Environment Act? And will we see faster and cheaper resource consents? ...read more
RMA Reform: Key Elements and Key Questions
This article provides an overview of the resource management framework proposed to replace the Resource Management Act. ...read more
NPS-UD and MDRS: Further Update on Auckland Council's Response
The Auckland Council Planning Committee has met for the final time prior to notification of the Council's response to the RMA Amendment Act 2021 and NPS-UD. ...read more
What's on Auckland's Planning Agenda
Every now and then I like to peruse Auckland Council’s Planning Committee agendas to see what Council is up to. ...read more
NPSUD: Update on Auckland Council's Response
Auckland Council’s Planning Committee completed a marathon 11 hour meeting on 30 June 2022 to consider its response to the NPS-UD. ...read more
Upcoming Transport Plan Change
Auckland Council has released additional information regarding its upcoming transport plan change. ...read more
Upcoming Changes to Auckland Unitary Plan
A recent report adopted by Auckland Council’s Planning Committee has provided additional detail on changes to the Unitary Plan under investigation ...read more
NPS-UD: Updated Principles for Intensification
Auckland Council’s Planning Committee has approved a new set of principles for addressing policy 3(d) of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development ...read more
Bye Bye Parking Requirements (hello new rules and regulations...)
Minimum parking requirements have now been removed from the Auckland Unitary Plan. What are the implications of that? ...read more
Medium Density Residential Standards - Update
The Government has amended its Medium Density Residential Standards to alter the intensity of development able to be undertaken as a permitted activity ...read more
Medium Density Residential Standards - FAQs
Short answers to frequently asked questions on the Medium Density Residential Standards. ...read more
Winners and Losers under the RMA Amendment Bill
The RMA Amendment Bill will create winners and losers. How will it impact you - will you be a winner or loser? ...read more
Medium Density Residential Standards - what the?
The Medium Density Residential Standards proposed in the RMA Amendment Bill will enable significant intensification in our main urban areas. ...read more
Changes to RMA to Enable and Accelerate Intensification
The Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill will supercharge the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. ...read more
Removal of Car Parking Minimums (how to make a simple task complicated)
After sitting on / studying the NPS-UD requirement to remove car parking minimums from its plans for more than a year, Auckland Council has given its first public hints at how it proposes to respond to this requirement. ...read more
Auckland Development Contributions – Big Increases on the Way
Auckland Council is poised to propose significant increases in development contributions in parts of the region. ...read more
NPS-UD: Auckland Council's Timeline for Responding
Auckland Council has a number of workstreams underway in response to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. In this blog, we give you an overview of the timelines for those workstreams. ...read more
NPS-UD: Further Detail on Auckland Council's Response
Auckland Council has expanded on how it proposes to respond to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development in "all other locations". ...read more
NPS-UD: Auckland Council's Initial Response
The Government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (“NPS-UD”) is arguably the most consequential statement of government policy on urban development in New Zealand’s recent history. And it’s about to start “hitting home”. ...read more
GPS-HUD: More Waffle than Breakfast at Denny's
The Government has released a discussion document for its upcoming Government Policy Statement on Housing and Urban Development (“GPS-HUD”) ...read more
Auckland Council adopts NorthWest Spatial Strategy
Auckland Council has updated and adopted the NorthWest Spatial Land Use Strategy following public feedback over the Christmas period. ...read more
Affordable Housing (inclusionary zoning is back on the agenda)
Auckland has an affordable housing problem - will inclusionary zoning be Council's solution? ...read more
What's Auckland Council up to?
Every now and then I like to peruse the Council Planning Committee agendas to see what Council is up to. ...read more
New National Policy Statement on Urban Development
The Government has approved a new National Policy Statement (“NPS”) on Urban Development to replace the current NPS on Urban Development Capacity approved in 2016. ...read more
(More) Changes to the RMA
The Resource Management Amendment Act 2020 (“RMAA”) received royal assent on 30 June and will come into effect in stages from 1 July 2020. ...read more
Unitary Plan - Plan Change 4 (Correction of Errors)
Auckland Council has notified Plan Change 4 to the Auckland Unitary Plan. This plan change aims to correct “errors” and “anomalies” in the plan. ...read more
Resource Consent Changes - Marginal Infringements
Changes to the Resource Management Act (“RMA”) mean consent will no longer be required for some activities with marginal or temporary non-compliances. ...read more
Resource Consent Changes - Boundary Activities
In May 2016, we reported that changes were in store for the resource consent process. At that time, a bill was before parliament to introduce changes to the Resource Management Act (“RMA”). That bill become law in April 2017. ...read more
Unitary Plan - Private Plan Changes
Auckland Council’s Planning Committee has approved a number of criteria for assessing whether private plan changes to the Unitary Plan should be accepted for consideration by Council. ...read more
Unitary Plan - Upcoming Plan Changes
Auckland Council’s Planning Committee has approved further work on a number of changes to the Auckland Unitary Plan. ...read more
Unitary Plan - More Places of Significance to Mana Whenua to be added
Auckland Council is exploring a plan change to add sites to the Sites and Places of Significance to Mana Whenua schedule in the Auckland Unitary Plan. ...read more
Unitary Plan Errors
Auckland Council officers have for the first time set out a programme for addressing errors within the Auckland Unitary Plan. ...read more
Case Law Update
The High Court has kicked off the New Year with two significant resource management decisions. ...read more
Urban Development Authorities - Discussion Document Released
The Government is seeking feedback on a proposal to facilitate the creation of urban development authorities (“UDAs”). ...read more
Better Urban Planning - Productivity Commission Report Released
The Productivity Commission’s ‘Better Urban Planning’ report concludes that the current planning system has led to unduly restrictive rules that obstruct development, poor use of regulatory discretion (creating a lack of certainty and predictability) and unnecessary conflicts and costs. The Commission concludes that the planning system needs to be reformed. ...read more
Unitary Plan Decisions
Auckland Council’s Governing Body has made the momentous decision to approve the Proposed Unitary Plan, signing off on the majority of recommendations made by the Independent Hearing Panel (“Panel”). We provide a summary of the key decisions below. ...read more
Unitary Plan - Council Officer Response
Auckland Council has released the officer recommendations report on the Independent Hearing Panel’s recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (“PAUP”). You can download a copy of the officers recommendations here. ...read more
Unitary Plan - Independent Hearing Panel Recommendations
The Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearing Panel has released its recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan. Of most note, the Panel's recommendations: ...read more
Framework Plans
As notified, the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (“PAUP”) provides for the development of a Framework Plan as a way for land owners in certain precincts ‘to demonstrate and achieve the integrated development and/or subdivision of land within brownfield and greenfield development areas’. ...read more
