Draft intensification plans released
The Auckland Unitary Plan (AUP) is our city's zoning planning rule book. It's governed by the Resource Management Act (RMA) and allowed for approximately 900k new homes.
Under the previous government, the council was required to make widespread changes to the AUP to enable even greater levels of intensification. The resulting changes to the AUP were included in Proposed Plan Change 78: Intensification (PC78) notified in August 2022.
The very recently enacted Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act enables the council, if it chooses, to withdraw in part, PC78, provided the council notifies a replacement plan change that satisfies new requirements. The council had previously been unable to withdraw PC78 (in whole or in part).
On 21 August 2025 the Policy and Planning Committee endorsed a draft replacement plan change to enable staff to consult on it with iwi authorities, government ministries and adjoining councils, and to request local board views on the draft replacement plan change and a corresponding withdrawal in part of PC78.
Due to the timeframes set by central government in the Act, the council will need to decide in September 2025 whether or not to withdraw from PC78 and, if so, to proceed with a replacement plan change.
What does this mean for East Auckland? Because of the short time frames, we have limited information available to us. Staff have prepared maps that show the new zoning that is proposed and I've taken the current AUP zones, PC78, and the replacement maps to compare them. These are subject to change, but hopefully this helps show the differences between the three plans. In PC78 intensification is spread across the area, while in the replacement plan, intensification is being focused around town centres and transit routes.
The choice before council is PC78 or the replacement. Local Boards are not the decision-makers but we do have an opportunity to provide input.
The Howick Local Board is meeting on Thursday 28 August 2025 at 1pm to consider our feedback. While there is no formal public consultation prior to notification, we've agreed to accept public input at this meeting so we can better convey what the community thinks. People or groups wanting to speak are encouraged to register via howicklocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
You can find more in our agenda published here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2025/08/20250828_HW_AGN_13699_WEB.htm