Myth
Changes in the Unitary Plan saw Auckland Council rezone about 20,000 houses without consulting property owners.
Facts
- The council has not rezoned a single property.
- At this stage the council is having input into an independent hearings process on the proposed Unitary Plan. The hearings process isn’t owned by the council; it’s run by an independent hearings panel and the council is a participant like all submitters.
- Auckland Council's input includes some recommended changes to the plan. This takes into account feedback from around 4000 public submissions as well as guidance from the hearings panel.
- The council won’t even consider its final decisions on the Unitary Plan until after the hearings panel has reported back in July. The panel’s recommendations are not binding on councillors.
The key reason for the changes proposed is to ensure a more consistent approach to how housing zones are applied across Auckland. The same core principles still apply though – 75 per cent of residential zones will remain at 2 storeys or less, with more density around town centres and transport hubs.
More information
Find out more about the Unitary Plan
Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse talks to Radio New Zealand about the Unitary Plan
