The Government is consulting on proposed changes to Auckland’s city centre planning rules, following an investigation into whether current Auckland Unitary Plan provisions are constraining development. The proposals are aimed at unlocking more housing, jobs and economic activity around the City Rail Link and existing infrastructure.
What does it mean?
The Government is proposing to remove or modify several planning restrictions in the Auckland City Centre Zone, including height limits, tower dimensions and setbacks, street frontage rules, and floor area ratios in four precincts.
The investigation estimates the changes could enable significant additional development capacity, including around 17,000 additional dwellings and 37,000 jobs if commercially feasible development is delivered.
Importantly, these changes would not provide an automatic right to build. Development would still require resource consent from Auckland Council, where relevant impacts — including effects on surrounding buildings, streets, public spaces and other matters — can continue to be assessed. Other controls, including volcanic viewshafts, sunlight and wind standards, harbour-edge controls and heritage protections, would also remain in place.
This consultation is also separate from Plan Change 120, which does not propose any changes to the City Centre Zone.
What does Property Council think?
Property Council supports the Government’s investigation and its focus on removing planning barriers to growth in Auckland’s city centre.
The City Rail Link represents a significant investment in Auckland’s infrastructure, and enabling greater development capacity around rapid transit and existing infrastructure is an important step towards making the most of that investment.
While increasing plan-enabled height and capacity does not mean those heights will immediately be realised by the market, removing unnecessary planning constraints can give developers greater certainty and flexibility to respond when market conditions support development. We see this as a positive first step towards encouraging more investment and growth in the city centre.
What’s next?
- Consultation on the proposed changes is open until 16 October 2026.
- Property Council will be submitting a letter in support of the Government’s investigation and proposed direction.
- The Government will consider consultation feedback before deciding whether to recommend regulations to modify or remove the specified provisions.
Members with questions or views they would like reflected in Property Council’s submission are encouraged to contact Samantha.
Author | Samantha Lay Yee
Samantha brings a sharp policy mind and deep understanding of urban development to her role as Senior Advocacy Advisor. With a Master of Laws specialising in environmental law, she has built her career at the intersection of government, regulation and city-shaping policy.
Prior to joining Property Council, Samantha held a senior advisory role at Kāinga Ora where she led a complex investment management work programme. She also brings policy experience from the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Internal Affairs. In those roles, she developed regulatory advice for Ministers and contributed to nationally significant urban development reforms. Her experience spans cross-agency collaboration, stakeholder engagement and translating complex policy into clear, actionable insights.
Analytical, thoughtful and highly respected, Samantha combines strategic thinking with a practical approach – helping shape policy settings that enable better outcomes for New Zealand’s built environment.
