Property Council submission to Auckland Council on the Future Development Strategy

On 31 July, Property Council submitted to Auckland Council on the draft Future Development Strategy. This is Auckland Council’s proposed 30-year plan for urban growth across Auckland.

Why this matters to our members

Property Council advocates for the creation and retention of a well-designed, functional and sustainable built environment. It is critical to have a Future Development Strategy with a robust vision for the future of Auckland, that addresses our city’s current challenges around housing supply and affordability while also giving the property sector the confidence to make long-term investment decisions.

Our view

Our submission expressed deep concern about the proposed restrictions and delays to new greenfield development, as well as our disappointment with the quality of consultation and engagement to date. We strongly recommended that Auckland Council pause the Future Development Strategy, in order to re-engage with the property sector and develop a revised Future Development Strategy that meets Auckland’s future needs.

At a high level, we recommend that Auckland Council:

  • Pause the draft Future Development Strategy and instead develop a revised approach;

In broad terms, a revised Future Development Strategy should:

  • Include housing affordability as a policy objective;
  • Work with the property sector to establish improved and more accurate development capacity and geographic modelling;
  • Urgently reconsider their proposed approach to restricting or delaying greenfield development;
  • At minimum continue the greenfield development strategy already established in the Auckland Unitary Plan;
  • Reconsider the proposed use of infrastructure triggers and adopt a more flexible approach to providing infrastructure for greenfield developments;
  • Use the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act to fund and finance infrastructure to support new development.
Read the full submission

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