Housing Intensification. The Government’s directive will require the Council to permit the construction of apartment blocks of at least 15 storeys anywhere within an 800m radius of the Morningside, Kingsland and Maungawhau Train Stations – a 10 minute walkable catchment.

No clear urban planning appears to be involved, even though this will completely change the face of our city and put more pressure on our already stretched infrastructure, such as schools, open spaces, and stormwater and wastewater disposal. Rather, the government’s aim appears to be to encourage the

erection of high-rise buildings wherever developers are prepared to invest.

Special Character Areas - A particularly unfortunate aspect of the directive is that it makes no allowance for character areas. These protected areas are essential to ensure the survival of our historic character housing ( ate nineteenth and early twentieth century kauri villas and bungalows) in parts of Auckland close to the inner city.

These protected areas have existed for many years in Auckland’s city plans, and were included in the Auckland Unitary Plan as recently as 2016. A comprehensive study last year compared our characterhousing with the rest of the world and concluded that “these areas encompass a rare gem in global urbanism, a taonga - a collection of documented and protected timber architecture from the 19 and 20centuries unrivalled worldwide in scale and quality.”

One such neighbourhood, situated between Dominion, Mt Eden, and View Roads, is entirely within the catchment of Maungawhau Station so would face complete destruction should the Government’s proposal be adopted. Kingsland’s avenues would suffer the same fate.Mt Eden South would also be severely affected.

The full consequences of the directive remain to be determined byAuckland Council. This gives residents and other interested citizens time and opportunity to make the case for smart, well-considered planning and for the protection of neighbourhoods that work to preserve our city’s history.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING “THE FUTURE OF YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD”

7pm Thursday 28th August, Mt Eden Village Centre, 449 Mt Eden Road

Meeting Arrangements

Organised by concerned local residents and the Character Coalition Inc., the meeting will take place at the Mt Eden Village Centre (the old Methodist Church) at 449 Mt Eden Road. Speakers will include Councillor Christine Fletcher; Kendyl Smith (Chair of the Eden-Albert Local Board ; and Julie Stout, architect and urban designer.

Sally Hughes, Chair Character Coalition Inc.

Ex National MP and former mayor of Auckland Christine Fletcher is condemning Housing Minister Chris Bishop's proposed Auckland housing fix. Christine Fletcher spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

RNZ Morning Report, 8:14 am on 31 July 2025.

Photo N Z Herald

We normally value a centre-right Government. However, since entering a bipartisan agreement while in opposition, National’s continued erosion of local governance and its setting of housing targets, as driven by Chris Bishop, is as bully-boyish as it comes.

And Auckland’s initial rejection of the proposed Plan Change 78 housing projections was a factor in seeing Labour voted out of Auckland at the last central election. Bishop’s high growth targets for Auckland are extortionately inflated.