Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister of Housing
10 May 2013 Media Statement
Housing supply and affordability addressed in Auckland Accord
An Auckland Housing Accord has been agreed today by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Auckland Mayor Len Brown to
urgently increase the supply and affordability of housing in Auckland.
“This Accord will help deliver thousands of new homes for Auckland by streamlining the planning and consenting process
and getting Government and Council working more closely together on housing development,” Dr Smith said.
“This balanced and pragmatic agreement addresses the economic risks to New Zealand’s economy of an over-heated and
supply constrained Auckland housing market. It is good news for Auckland families wanting access to more affordable
houses to buy and rent.”
The legislation, to be introduced to Parliament as part of Budget 2013, will enable Special Housing Areas to be created
by the Auckland Council with approval of Government. In these areas it will be possible to override restrictions on
housing put in place by Auckland’s eight predecessor Councils, like the Metropolitan Urban Limit.
Qualifying developments in these Special Housing Areas will be able to be streamlined, providing they are consistent
with Auckland’s Unitary Plan, once it is notified, expected in September this year. New greenfield developments of more
than 50 dwellings will be able to be approved in six months as compared to the current average of three years and
brownfield developments in three months as compared to the current average of one year. The streamlined process will not
be available for high rise developments that will need to be considered under existing rules until the Unitary Plan has
been finalised in 2016.
“This is a three year agreement to address these housing supply issues in the interim until Auckland Council’s Unitary
Plan becomes fully operative and the Government’s Resource Management Act reforms for planning processes take effect.
“The Government respects in this Accord that it is for Auckland to decide where and how it wishes to grow. The
Government is giving new powers for council to get some pace around new housing development and is agreeing on
aspirational targets to ensure Auckland’s housing supply and affordability issues are addressed.
“The Accord sets a target of 9,000 additional residential houses being consented for in Year 1, 13,000 in Year 2, and
17,000 in Year 3. This is a huge boost on the average 3,600 homes that have been consented each year over the past four
years and the 7,400 a year over the past 20 years.
“The Accord is a sensible solution to the problem of ensuring a robust process for submissions and hearings on
Auckland’s 30 year Unitary Plan, while ensuring progress is made now on Auckland’s housing supply and affordability
issues. It is about getting on and building the least contentious 39,000 houses of the 400,000 identified in the draft
Unitary Plan.
“This agreement will also enable the Government and Council to make progress on other housing issues. There is a
commitment to an inquiry into building material and construction costs, a better coordination on delivering core
infrastructure to support new housing and a feasibility study on the development of New Zealand’s first online building
consent process in Auckland. There are also significant developments at Tāmaki, Hobsonville, Papakura and Weymouth and
across Housing New Zealand’s Auckland housing stock to improve the quality and quantity of Auckland homes.
“This Accord is the product of six weeks of intense discussions with Auckland Mayor Len Brown, his deputy Penny Hulse,
and many council and government officials. I wish to publicly thank them for their willingness to engage and to help
find this constructive way forward.”
The Auckland Housing Accord is subject to agreement by the Auckland Council and legislation being passed by Parliament.
The Accord and legislation will expire when the new Auckland Unitary Plan becomes fully operative, expected in 2016.
ENDS