Here's what the Housing Minister is planning - and how it might work.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop has told real estate agents that the government wants to “flood the market” with opportunities for housing development.

It has agreed to a range of changes that would free up land for housing, and, the government hopes, make housing more affordable.

My rough summary of proposal:

  • Most cities will be required to have zoned enough land for 30 years of housing demand all the time
  • These cities won’t be allowed to determine urban/rural boundaries
  • Must intensify, especially around major public transport routes. If they decide not to for character reasons, then equivalent capacity must be opened up in another area
  • cafes, dairies, etc (mixed use) must be allowed in residential areas
  • appartments not allowed to have minimum floor area or requirement for balcony set by council
  • councils already intensifying under a previous agreement (MDRS) will keep this, but if they change it then they have to move to using new rules

Let me know if I’ve got something wrong!

  • TagMeInSkipIGotThis@lemmy.nz
    5·
    4 months ago

    #1 & #2 does feel like a bit of a gift to the folks who got in some years ago and banked land on the boundaries. Explains why an apple orchard down the road felled all the trees and just left them there - no new grafts or anything; the block got bought by a major property developer who must have seen the chances of either a zoning change or removal of the urban/rural zone coming.

    Sprawl typically also means fewer 200+m2 houses on larger blocks of land when looking at opening up public spaces and building denser housing close to public transport is a better solution for long term transport emissions.