Seventeen new special housing areas for Auckland have been announced by Auckland Mayor Len Brown and Housing Minister Nick Smith.
Designating a location as a special housing area allows development of new homes within it to be fast tracked and the latest areas to be added could eventually have 8,000 new home built within them.
Since the Auckland Housing Accord between the Auckland Council and the Government was agreed 11 months ago, 80 special housing areas have been created, potentially allowing for the development of 41,500 homes to be fast tracked.
"This is the momentum we need to to improve housing affordability and supply in our largest city," Smith said.
However, Labour housing spokesman Phil Twyford said it was a "desperate pre-election announcement of more ghost houses" from the Government that wouldn't fool Aucklanders.
“The fact is that after six years in office, and 15 months after National announced the Housing Accord, they are now scrambling to move the first family into a completed home in one of the special housing areas before the election," said Twyford.
“Nick Smith doesn’t like to admit it but only about 20 building consents have been issued in the special housing areas, and most of them at Weymouth."
Twyford said Labour would build 100,000 "real affordable homes."
"We will also reform the planning rules, crack down on speculators and reform monetary policy to bring interest rates down,” Twyford said.
The new special housing areas are in the following locations, with the potential number of new homes to be built in each in brackets: And full details, including maps, are available here.
Akoranga Drive, Northcote (31).
Barrack Rd, Mt Wellington (40).
Bellfield Rd, Papakura (265-365).
Bunnythorpe Rd, Papakura (10).
Coates Ave, Orakei (14).
East Coast Rd, Pine Hill (39).
Enfield St, Mt Eden (92).
Corner Great North Rd and Walsall St, Avondale (36).
Harbourside Drive, Hingaia (200-300).
Mokoia Rd, Birkenhead (31).
Morrin St, Ellerslie (138).
Racecourse Parade, Avondale (15-80).
Redhills stage 1. (3392-4207).
St Lukes Rd, Mt Albert (107).
Takapuna strategic area (350).
Tamaki regeneration area (1200-1500).
West Hoe Heights, Orewa (400-800).
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4 Comments
It might be momentum. Nick, but going where?
The story so far:
- Nick Smith proudly announces the Special Housing Accord with Auckland Council and declares 39,000 new residences will be built in three years
- When Bernard points out that this plan does not conform with the known laws of physics, Alas Smith and Brown revise expectations down to 39,000 building consents issued
- The hive mind at interest.co.nz is pretty skeptical about this target too
- Now that we are 33% of the way through the programme and 0% of dwellings have been completed and 0.0103% of dwellings are actually under construction Alas Smith and Brown are trumpeting the triumph of zoning more land residential in one year than in the previous xxx years.
- Today we have arrived at public sector nirvana. In identifying some new areas to be put through the SHA process Alas Smith and Brown are patting themselves on the back for planning to plan.
Momentum is what bulldozers, diggers and flat bed trucks have, Nick. The tops being flicked off felt pens doesn't count.
Go to rough pub. talk to prospective tenant. buy several drinks. lose you wallet but make new friends. lament the horrific vandalism and torching of your building. collect insurance. rebuild (or sell/buy neighbour). come back and ask David to delete this comment.
good luck.
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