This Government bill amends the Resource Management Act 1991 to reduce the minimum housing capacity the Auckland Unitary Plan must provide by 32.5% — in effect from about 2 million dwellings to about 1.4 million. It makes targeted changes to the Streamlined Planning Process for Plan Change 120 so Auckland Council can respond to the lower requirement while providing for public input, and confirms as a transitional matter that developments complying with the Medium Density Residential Standards between 18 August 2022 and 9 October 2025 can continue. It has since passed into law.
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (committee of whole house, first reading, second reading, third reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
This bill amends the Resource Management Act 1991 as it applies to Auckland's housing planning — specifically Auckland Council's plan change to its Unitary Plan, the rulebook for what can be built where. It lowers the minimum housing "capacity" the council must zone for, roughly a one-third reduction, giving the council more discretion to direct density towards areas with infrastructure and public transport rather than being required to enable very high capacity across the city. It also addresses the removal of the Medium Density Residential Standards (rules allowing up to three homes of three storeys on most sites) in Auckland, with transitional protections for affected owners. It affects Auckland landowners, developers and the council.
A Government bill, part of the coalition's resource-management and housing reforms. Supporters argue it lets Auckland match growth to infrastructure, avoids poorly serviced intensification, and restores local choice over density. Opponents argue reducing enabled capacity and dropping the medium-density standards will constrain housing supply, push up prices and rents, and undercut efforts to build more homes near transport.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.