Getting growth right matters

For too many years Auckland grew without a plan, it was a collection of communities linked by congestion. We’ve treated growth as something to push further and further out, rather than planning properly for how people live, work and move around the region.

That needs to change.

The Hibiscus Coast shows both the opportunity and the challenge. It is a wonderful part of Auckland, attracting families, retirees and people looking for a better lifestyle. But that growth has to be managed properly.

It’s why the debate about housing intensification matters.

At a recent council meeting, we agreed on the principles that will guide Plan Change 120 and how Auckland meets the Government’s housing targets.

There’s been plenty of noise about this, some of it fuelled by misinformation and political point-scoring, but the basics are straightforward.

We need intensification in the right places – along major transport routes, where we’ve already invested in infrastructure, and away from floodplains.

Also, Auckland should be shaping Auckland’s growth, not a cabinet in Wellington.

On the Hibiscus Coast, that means being smart about where growth goes. Areas like Ōrewa and Silverdale are already seeing significant development, and that will continue. But it has to be supported by infrastructure – roads that work, public transport that people can rely on, and local services that keep up with demand.

Anyone who sits in traffic heading south in the morning knows there’s more to do. Growth without infrastructure just creates frustration.

At the same time, the character of coastal communities matters. People choose to live there for a reason – the beaches, the open space, and the sense of community. Done properly, growth doesn’t destroy that character, it strengthens it.

More people means more support for local shops and businesses, better services, and more vibrant town centres.

But if we get it wrong, we risk the worst of both worlds – sprawl without infrastructure, and pressure on the things people value most.

Auckland can’t just keep spreading out forever. That approach leads to longer commutes, higher costs, and more strain on ratepayers to fund infrastructure over ever larger areas.

A growing community also has to function properly. That means safer streets, dealing with retail crime, and getting the basics right on transport, parking and local amenities so people can actually live, work and enjoy where they are.

Auckland is growing up, and places like Ōrewa and the wider Hibiscus Coast will play a big part in that future.

If we get the planning right now, we won’t just be building more houses. We’ll be building better communities – ones that work for the people who live there today, and for the next generation coming through.