National housing spokesman Chris Bishop addressing the meeting. Photo / Alex Burton
National housing spokesman Chris Bishop addressing the meeting. Photo / Alex Burton
The National Party is open to making changes to a controversial housing law that rezones a big chunk of Auckland's kauri villas and bungalows for high-density housing, the party's housing spokesman Chris Bishop told a public meeting in the city today.
About 200 people attended the meeting titled "Say Noto Government Housing Rules" at St Matthews in the City to oppose government law changes instructing Auckland Council to change the Unitary Plan to allow for more intensification.
Bishop, Act leader David Seymour and the Green MP for Auckland Central City, Chloe Swarbrick, addressed the meeting, but no one from Labour fronted and the party did not provide a statement.
Public Meeting at St Matthews-in-the-City to oppose the housing intensification legislation. Photo / Alex Burton
Bishop said National, which stitched together a bill with Labour liberalising intensification rules, said the party fought for changes at the select committee process and was open to further changes.
He also supported a suggestion from Seymour for half the GST on construction costs of new houses being returned to councils, saying National had campaigned on a $50,000 Government grant to councils for every home they consent.
But when it came to giving a position on villas and bungalows in "Special Character Areas" - where houses with heritage values protected in the Unitary Plan - Bishop said he was unable to comment because the legislative process was still underway and he could have a decision-making role if he becomes Housing Minister next year.
Legislation allowing for people to build up to three homes of up to three storeys high on most sites with few planning rules without resource consent has been passed by Parliament and takes effect on August 20, but there is still a process of public submissions to go through.
The meeting was also called in response to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development(NPS-UD).
Act leader David Seymour at the meeting. Photo / Alex Burton
This sets out high levels of housing development of at least six storeys within "walkable areas" of the central city and 10 other large centres, and around bus and train stations. It also does away with car parking requirements in urban areas.
Speaking to the Herald after the meeting, Bishop said the importance of protecting heritage came through strongly, and frustration over how the law was put through Parliament.
Seymour said the law, cooked up in secret and rushed through with no proper due process, is the epitome of the kind of action creating frustration in the community.
He said Act was the only party to vote against the legislation and would like to see the law replaced with the Mixed Housing Suburban zone in the Unitary Plan, which generally provides for two-storey houses; and allow councils sole discretion to exempt areas from high-density housing if there isn't sufficient infrastructure.
All three MPs spoke strongly in favour of the need to build more houses.
Swarbrick said the status quo is untenable and was not hearing alternative solutions about where housing should go.
"In the current proposal from the council, 41 per cent of land within 5km of the city centre is locked out of development and housing density," she said.
Green MP Chloe Swarbrick at the public meeting. Photo / Alex Burton
Swarbrick said the Greens had put forward amendments to the law for greater tree protection, greater amenity and community services, design and quality standards. They were voted down by National, Labour and Act, she said.
Character Coalition spokeswoman Sally Hughes, whose organisation represents 65 heritage and community groups, spoke to "debunk" the myth that affordable housing can only be achieved by the destruction of Special Character Areas (SCAs).
"We can, and must, provide for intensification without losing what makes Auckland special. What has changed is the Government's decision to no longer leave Aucklanders with the right to plan their own city but dictate to us where and how we should provide housing," she said.
Hughes said three things give Auckland its identity and make it different from other cities in the world - the Waitemata Harbour, maunga (volcanic cones) and the old kauri suburbs.
She said the SCAs were thrashed out in the run-up to the Unitary Plan in 2016 when an independent panel decided they needed protection to make Auckland the World's Most Liveable City.
"Is all that to be lost? Our council must not roll over to the Government's demands," Hughes said.
A big turnout at the public meeting at St Matthews-in-the-City to oppose the housing intensification legislation.Photo / Alex Burton
Councillor Wayne Walker said there will be three houses of three storeys everywhere with only a few exceptions - "it is fundamentally unfair".
"It means your home, your street, your community, your neighbourhood is going to be affected. There is zero requirement for on-site parking. There is zero requirement for a resource consent. You don't know when it is coming," he said.
Mike Kampkes, who is standing for the mayoralty to "fight the bone-chilling housing law", said the changes were "cruel, vindictive and destructive" and would have disastrous impacts for Aucklanders' way of life.
Note: The original version of this story said the the Mixed Housing Suburban zone in the Unitary Plan generally provides for three-storey houses. This was incorrect. It generally applies to two-storey houses.
