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Auckland Council is revisiting its proposed housing intensification plan following recent government changes to Auckland’s housing requirements, but one thing appears certain – stronger protections for flood-prone and hazard-affected areas are here to stay.
Last week, council’s Policy, Planning and Development Committee endorsed two possible scenarios for Plan Change 120 (PC120) to be considered by local boards and iwi authorities before any final decisions are made.
The move follows legislation reducing Auckland’s minimum housing capacity requirement from around two million homes to 1.4 million homes. While the change does not reduce the need for growth, it gives Auckland greater flexibility over where that growth should occur.
Plan Change 120 was originally developed to replace Plan Change 78, which proposed widespread housing intensification across much of Auckland. The newer plan takes a more targeted approach, concentrating development around town centres, transport corridors and areas with existing infrastructure, while placing greater emphasis on climate resilience and natural hazard management.
For the Hibiscus Coast, the changes could have a significant impact on how communities grow over the coming decades.
Under the original Plan Change 120 proposals, growth was already being redirected away from some outer areas in favour of locations closer to employment, transport and services. Council modelling indicated the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area would have around 45,000 fewer plan-enabled dwellings than under earlier Plan Change 78 projections, although overall housing capacity across Auckland would still increase.
The latest council review now presents two possible options. Scenario A would largely focus intensification in areas required by government policy, such as around metropolitan centres and rapid transit corridors. Scenario B would allow additional housing opportunities around local centres and along frequent bus routes where infrastructure and services can support growth.
While the final outcome has yet to be decided, both scenarios retain stronger protections for flooding, coastal inundation and other natural hazards.
Those changes reflect lessons learned from the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, which highlighted the vulnerability of some coastal and low-lying communities across Auckland. Areas of the Hibiscus Coast, including Ōrewa, Red Beach, Stanmore Bay and Stillwater, experienced flooding, slips or storm-related impacts during those events.
Updated flood modelling, rainfall data and hazard assessments are being used to identify areas where development may require additional scrutiny. As a result, some properties may be affected by revised hazard overlays or stronger consenting requirements designed to improve resilience and reduce future risk.
Local boards and iwi authorities will provide feedback on the two scenarios, and that will be considered by the policy, Planning and Development Committee, along with further analysis, before deciding whether to propose any changes to Plan Change 120 next month.
Residents will then have another opportunity to have their say later this year when council opens an additional round of public submissions.
