Plan Change 78 on housing intensification – update

The Hon. Chris Bishop has published the “Going for Housing Growth Proposal: Providing for Urban Development in the New Resource Management System” as a discussion paper in June 2025.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry for the Environment are seeking written submissions on the proposals raised in this document by 17 August 2025.

Pillar 1 focuses on freeing up land for development and removing perceived unnecessary planning barriers.

“This pillar is crucial for crucial for creating a more flexible and responsive housing market. Key components include new housing growth targets which would require councils to enable at least 30 years of housing capacity in their district plans, prohibiting rural/urban boundary lines in planning documents to ensure greenfields housing developments can be built at urban fringes, and strengthening urban intensification requirements.”

“We’re also proposing that councils are required to better enable mixed-use developments in our cities, which will make them more liveable and connected. Removing district plan controls that don’t relate to effects on other people or the environment, such as balcony requirements and minimum floor areas, will help reduce the cost of housing. “

The report proposes increasing intensification around railway stations and transport corridors, and the removal of Special Character Areas (SCAs) in suburbs like Remuera.

The Medium Density Residential Standard requires Tier 1 councils, such as Auckland, to also permit up to three houses of up to three storeys per site as of right in urban areas.

The Character Coalition, an umbrella group of 60+ residents and heritage groups, is making a major submission on the proposal by the 17^th August 2025.

Remuera Heritage is also writing to local MPs and Council members.