At the Planning Committee meeting on June 30, seven local boards took the opportunity to express their views on how Auckland Council is enabling intensification under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) and Medium Density Residential Standards.
While some local boards expressed strong support for maintaining Special Character Areas (SCAs) others said that by maintaining SCAs, further intensification would be pushed into underdeveloped areas.
Takapuna Devonport Local Board chair Ruth Jackson said her board wants to see Council pursue a legal challenge against government.
“The NPS-UD is a one size fits all approach which we do not believe can work,” Jackson said. “It focuses on quantity at the expense of quality, community and social outcomes. Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone.”
Henderson Massey local board member Brooke Loader called for fairness in the distribution of intensification across the city.
“Already we are bursting at the seams with development. We have been subject to a lot of intensification in our area,” Loader said.
“We want to see fairness across Auckland where everyone can have a share of that burden too.”
Whau Local Board member Kay Thomas said there is support in her area for intensification.
“Many people in the Whau have learned to live with intensification. We have had people tell us that without intensive development they have no hope of owning their own home,” Thomas said.
“Most special character areas are in so-called leafy suburbs. These suburbs are often well off in terms of community assets while the Whau area has few assets because of its position in regard to legacy councils.”
Council must publicly notify changes to the Unitary Plan before August 20.
