“I think now is the opportunity to ensure that Auckland is shaped by that investment, prioritising more growth in our city where our new CRL stations are just a stone’s throw away.”<\/p>\n
![\"RMA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/rma-reform-minister-chris-bishop-says-planning-rules-need-to-FSSZEMESBFCITNMFJ4TFMZVXRI.jpg\")
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RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says planning rules need to keep pace with the City Rail Link’s opening. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n
Developer Mark Todd, of Ockham Residential, said getting rid of height restrictions and pesky regulations downtown is all well and good, but it’s not what’s holding back vertical housing in the city.<\/p>\n
“There is just this myth that if I just tweak the regulations, Auckland CBD will just suddenly start sprouting apartments,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s not going to go vertical until there’s some incentives. Enablement is good, but it’s not enough. That’s the key issue here.<\/p>\n
“These are political announcements. Auckland’s got enough vertically-zoned land for the rest of the century \u2013 easily.”<\/p>\n
The problem, Todd said, is the lack of people living there.<\/p>\n
“Auckland has got less than half the residents than it should have in its CBD if you benchmark it with comparable international cities. This won’t result in a single new apartment being built down there.”<\/p>\n
![\"Five](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/foreign-minister-baerbock-in-new-zealand-PZ6U3FY4YRHXVPR27KZXYP6G4M.jpg\")
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Five of Auckland’s tallest 10 buildings will have been constructed between 2019 and 2024 once the 187m Seascape building and the 160m Hotel Indigo are completed this year. (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
Todd said there won’t be large-scale mixed-used developments around the CRL without local and national government support.<\/p>\n
“You’ve just had 20 years proving the private sector isn’t going to build you apartments in the CBD to leverage the billions of dollars we’ve invested.<\/p>\n
“It’s one of the most beautiful CBDs in the world \u2013 the Victoria St green belt has just been completed, amazing. CRL, amazing. Quay St, amazing, beautiful. Wynyard Quarter, Britomart, amazing.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been waiting for 20 years for the people to come. It’s not happening and why is that? Because policy settings are wrong.”<\/p>\n
Todd said he’s never constructed a building in the CBD and is just speaking as an Aucklander.<\/p>\n
The Government’s proposal is being welcomed by others in the sector.<\/p>\n
Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman said it’s a positive step for the city, and timely given the opening of the CRL.<\/p>\n
“So this isn’t something that’s going to change the Auckland skyline in the next five years, but in the next 30 to 50 years we will see greater growth, and I think that’s a positive thing.”<\/p>\n
Thom Gill, from Cohausing Projects Limited, doubts there will be anything like the building activity that the policy says will be enabled, but he welcomes the Government proposal.<\/p>\n
“I think the ability to maximise the good opportunities of a particular site without having to worry about the building height [and] all the more subjective things, in principle I think that is a good idea in a modern city.”<\/p>\n
However, Gill opposed allowing high rises around Karangahape Rd, which he said is already a coherent urban environment.<\/p>\n
Consultation on the proposal runs for 20 working days from 18 September.<\/p>\n