Saying Yes To More Housing
Minister for RMA Reform
Hon Simeon Brown
Minister for Auckland
City-shaping changes are coming to New Zealand's largest city, ensuring that Auckland can fully harness the economic growth benefits of the new City Rail Link, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say.
The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill (the Bill) has been reported back to Parliament today by the Environment Committee, containing significant changes to enable housing growth in our largest cities.
'After many months, Auckland Council and the Government have reached agreement to free up more land for housing, particularly around City Rail Link (CRL) stations. These are some of the most significant changes to the shape of Auckland since the Auckland Unitary Plan,' Mr Bishop says.
'It doesn't make sense that we have single story houses on quarter acre sections a stone's throw away from stations that, in a year or so, will see trains every few minutes.
'The Government and the Council are investing billions in CRL and have a shared vision for stations that become hubs for public transport, mixed use development and new housing.
'Successive Governments and Councils have failed to grasp this opportunity for economic growth in New Zealand's largest city. This is how modern, growing cities all around the world operate, and now it's Auckland's turn.'
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'Today's announcements are a result of Auckland Council and the Government working together to deliver a plan for more housing that works for Auckland. The Bill now has the effect of abolishing the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) in Auckland while requiring more housing density around key public transport corridors - a common sense solution for Auckland,' Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says.
'Auckland must grow to fully meet its potential as a world-leading city. The one sized-fits-all approach of the MDRS was not appropriate for Auckland. Today's announcement will ensure our city grows where it makes the most sense and maximise on the significant investment made in the City Rail Link.'
'I want to thank Auckland Council, particularly Mayor Brown and Councillor Richard Hills, for their pragmatic approach to solving these complex challenges over many months,' Mr Bishop says.
'Mayor Brown has previously described this situation as 'RMA gymnastics' and he is right, but I am confident that these arrangements align with our shared vison of density and development in places that work for Aucklanders.'
Removing ability to opt-out of the MDRS
'The Bill as introduced provided councils with the flexibility to opt out of the MDRS, if they could show they had provided for 30 years of housing growth in their district and unitary plans,' Mr Bishop says.
'Councils have been going through plan changes for years in order to incorporate the MDRS. Most councils have already substantially completed their plan changes through this process, with just three (Auckland, Christchurch and Waimakariri) yet to finish.
'The practical reality is that if councils did vote to 'opt out' of the MDRS, they would have to pass a new plan change to do so, and due to the length of time this typically takes under the RMA, by the time this was complete, the Government's new planning system is expected to be in place.
'Fundamentally, it would have achieved nothing, but cost ratepayers a lot.
'The Government has therefore taken the pragmatic view that it would be sensible to remove the ability for councils to opt out of the MDRS and to work on bespoke legislative solutions for Auckland and Christchurch instead.'
New plan change for Auckland
'Auckland's intensification plan change, PC78, has been underway since 2022. Progress has been slow for many reasons, including the Auckland floods. The intensification plan change process does not allow Auckland to 'downzone' certain areas due to natural hazard risk – only to 'upzone' them – and the Council wrote to the government asking them to fix this problem,' Mr Bishop says.
'The Government has therefore agreed to change the Bill to allow Auckland to withdraw PC78. However, the government is determined to unlock housing capacity in Auckland and fix our housing crisis and has taken steps to ensure this is achieved.
'Earlier in the year I directed Auckland Council to bring forward decisions on the parts of PC78 that relate to the city centre, requiring final decisions to be made by the end of May. Auckland Council met this requirement, finalising this part of PC78 on 22 May 2025.
'These decisions made by the council are a step forward in increasing development capacity in Auckland's CBD, but there is more work to be done.
'The Bill as reported back from the committee now allows Auckland Council to remove the remaining parts of PC78, but requires them to process a new plan change urgently. This plan change must be notified by 10 October this year, and must enable housing capacity equal to or greater than that enabled by PC78.
'As I've indicated, the Government is keen to see greater density around public transport, particularly City Rail Link stations. The Bill therefore now also requires Auckland to allow for greater density around the key CRL stations of Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside.
'Auckland Council must enable within a walkable distance from these stations heights and densities reflective of the higher demand for housing and business in these areas. This requirement goes further than the existing requirements under the NPS-UD, and I expect heights and densities that ensure we make the most of the opportunities offered by this transformational transport project.
'The government is also considering whether further amendments to the Bill to fully maximise development opportunities around other CRL stations as necessary, and I will have more to say in due course.'
30 years of growth for Christchurch
'Christchurch City Council also requires a bespoke solution, as they have made a number of decisions on their plan change to implement the MDRS and NPS-UD, known as PC14, but have yet to complete it,' Mr Bishop says.
'Last week I released my decisions on the recommendations from the Council on parts of PC14. These decisions will enable a greater level of development in and around Christchurch City's urban centres.
'Christchurch City Council is currently required to finalise the MDRS components of PC14 by December 2025. The Bill will allow Christchurch to withdraw the MDRS parts of PC14 provided they allow for 30 years of housing growth at the same time. Assessment of that target will be made by me based on advice from officials.'
'In addition to these changes, the Environment Select Committee has recommended a suite of changes to improve the workability of the Bill and help unlock growth in infrastructure and energy, farming and the primary sector,' Mr Bishop says.
The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill will have its second reading in the coming weeks and is expected to pass into law in mid-2025.'
Waimakariri District Council were much further progressed in their plan change than Auckland and Christchurch, and are expected to make decisions on their plan change on 30 June, before the Bill's expected third reading.
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