Current Campaigns/Recent Submissions

Urban Auckland is not currently campaigning. But we are actively submitting on the key issues facing our city right now:

September 2022

Plan Change 78 Submission

Participation in the submission process for local and central government amendments is important because it allows us to advocate for the public good  and  for the goal  of achieving a quality urban environment. Local democracy is important and whilst Urban Auckland supports intensification, we do not believe that there is enough consideration of the broader context that is required to support the proposed intensification.

We have restated our belief in the importance of place-based approach to city making, proposing Precinct Plans for town centres and neighbourhoods. We advocate for investment in and design of the public realm and measures to assist in the provision of quality housing and their urban neighbourhoods.

Link

May 2022

Unitary Plan Submission

Submissions to the Unitary Plan is one of the last democratic engagements we can make in a completely new regulatory planning environment for our city.
The Auckland Council is caught between wanting to provide quality urban environment and create a compact city in line with its aims of the Unitary Plan and now having to comply with the Government’s edict to completely open up the planning controls to intensive residential. Our submission urged the Council to adopt a place-based approach to city making, with a focus on Precinct Plans for town centres and neighbourhoods to bring back democratic engagement in place-making.

Link

November 2021

Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and other Matters) Amendment Bill Submission

Urban Auckland is very supportive of the intensification of housing in our cities and the attempt to deal with the problem of affordable housing as proffered as the Aims of this Bill. However, like most Built Environment professionals we disagree with the way this Bill wipes away decades of planning legislation and people’s involvement in the way our residential areas are developed. The Bill, about to become law in August, takes a one size fits all approach to the very thing that affects nearly all New Zealanders- their homes.

With its blanket approach of allowing three stories one metre from boundaries, and site subdivision into three without any Resource Consent, the Bill is the antithesis of how quality place based sustainable design is developed. The Bill takes no cognisance of the many different historic character areas in our cities that make our neighbourhoods distinctive. The Bill fails to provide adequate environmental protection to the existing ecological realm of our cities. We do not believe this is the way to ensure quality affordable housing where it is needed and is in great danger of facilitating the slums of tomorrow.

For a more detailed outline of our concerns and analysis of the Bill read our submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee.

Link