Aucklanders have until 5pm on Friday 19 December to make a submission on Proposed Plan Change 120, which updates Auckland’s planning rules to strengthen natural hazard protections and meet legislative requirements from the Government to enable more housing, including near public transport, jobs, and everyday services.
Mayor Wayne Brown says the proposed changes are an important step in ensuring Auckland reduces risk from natural hazards and makes better use of major transport investments.
“With the City Rail Link coming soon and some major busways now upgraded, we must build more intensively where it makes sense around transport hubs and where we have invested significantly in infrastructure, while also downzoning in flood areas.
“This is important. This will help shape how we live and grow in Auckland for the next 30 to 50 years, and Aucklanders only have days left to have their say on this.”
Councillor Richard Hills, chair of the Planning, Policy and Development Committee, says Aucklanders have been clear since the 2023 floods that they want stronger planning rules in high-risk areas.
“Aucklanders told us they don’t want new homes built in high-risk flood areas, and Plan Change 120 delivers on that.
“It includes tougher rules for development in areas affected by flooding and other natural hazards. It also focuses the required housing capacity from central government where it makes more sense – near public transport and town centres.
“It gives Auckland a more coherent and balanced approach to growth compared to the previous planning rules, called Plan Change 78, which allowed more blanket development across the entire city. Instead, it enables new homes where transport access and housing demand are strongest.”
Cr Hills says submissions are a crucial part of the decision-making process.
“These are still proposed changes, and we welcome feedback from everyone on the things they support or want to see changed. Submissions are essential to helping us get this right for Auckland’s future.”
Submissions are still open
Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 19 December 2025, and anyone can make a submission.
To learn more about the proposed changes and how to have your say, visit akhaveyoursay.nz.
All submissions will be considered by an independent hearings panel, which will oversee hearings on all submissions made on Plan Change 120 and make recommendations to the council.
Final decisions on the plan change are expected in mid-2027.
What’s the proposed changes to Auckland’s planning rules?
Proposed Plan Change 120: Housing Intensification and Resilience will update the Auckland Unitary Plan with:
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stronger new rules to make homes and buildings more resilient and to reduce or stop new development in areas at high risk from flooding, landslides, coastal erosion, and coastal inundation
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stronger powers for the council to decide whether development can go ahead in natural hazard affected areas, including what development is appropriate and how much
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meets central government direction to enable the same housing capacity as the previous Plan Change 78
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meets central government direction to enable increased building heights around five key Western Line train stations, generally 15 storeys at Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside, and 10 storeys around Baldwin Avenue and Mt Albert stations
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meets central government direction to enable at least six storey buildings within walking distances of the city centre (proposed to be roughly a 15-minute walk), large metropolitan centres, and rapid transit stops like train or busway stations (proposed to be roughly a 10-minute walk).
