This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'Full video of the Planning Committee Meeting held on 31 March 2022'.
Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland 
Council Preliminary Response - Endorsement For Public 
Engagement
 
File No.: CP2022/02718 
 
Matataputanga 
Confidentiality 

Reason: 
The public conduct of the part of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of 
information for which good reason for withholding exists under section 7. 
Interests: 
s7(2)(g) - The withholding of the information is necessary to maintain legal professional 
privilege. 
s7(2)(j) - The withholding of the information is necessary to prevent the disclosure or use of 
official information for improper gain or improper advantage. 
In particular, the report contains the council's preliminary response to the National Policy 
Statement on Urban Development and Resource Manangement (Enabling Housing Supply 
and Other Matters) Act. The report has been informed by legal advice. 
Grounds: 
s48(1)(a) 
The public conduct of the part of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of 
information for which good reason for withholding exists under section 7. 
    
 
Te take mō te pūrongo 
Purpose of the report
  
1.  The purpose of this report is to endorse the council’s preliminary response to the National 
Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD) and the Resource Management 
(Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (the Amendment Act). 
Endorsement of the council’s preliminary response will enable public engagement from mid-
April to early May 2022 as previously approved by this committee. 
Whakarāpopototanga matua 
Executive summary
  
2.  The NPS-UD and the Amendment Act require that a proposed intensification plan change (IPI) 
must be notified by 20 August 2022. The Planning Committee received a memorandum on the 
NPS-UD on 10 August 2020 and a report on the proposed work programme on 4 February 
2021. Elected members have attended workshops and made decisions in 2021 and 2022 on 
preliminary policy directions to guide how the council will implement the NPS-UD. The 
chronology of workshops and committee meetings is set out in the overview report on the 
open section of the agenda. Resolutions of the committee associated with the NPS-UD are 
also included in the overview report. 
3.  A preliminary response to the NPS-UD has been prepared so that it can be made available to 
the public on the Auckland Have Your Say website. The preliminary response contains a 
series of maps that illustrate a zoning pattern that reflects the committee’s resolutions to date 
The series of maps are accessed via  a Geographic Information System (GIS) viewer in 
Attachment A. The maps also illustrate locations where various qualifying matters endorsed by 
the committee would limit the height and/or density that would otherwise be enabled. It is 
intended that alongside the maps there will be information sheets that help explain the 
council’s preliminary policy directions.   
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 1 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
4.  Since October 2021, local boards and mana whenua have been involved in helping the council 
develop its preliminary response. This report recommends that engagement with the public on 
the council’s preliminary response takes place from mid-April to early May 2022. While this is a 
tight timeframe and coincides with Easter and school/university holidays, factors such as 
central government introducing major changes through the Amendment Act at the end of last 
year while retaining the 20 August 2022 deadline, and the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, 
have made it impossible to engage with the public earlier than now. Extending the 
engagement period further into May runs a very high risk of the council being unable to meet 
the 20 August 2022 statutory deadline.  
5.  Feedback received from the public, together with the ongoing involvement of local boards and 
mana whenua, will greatly assist the council in finalising the IPI for notification by 20 August 
2022. 
 
 
Ngā tūtohunga 
Recommendation/s
  
That the Planning Committee: 
a) 
subject to b) endorse the council’s preliminary response to the National Policy Statement on 
Urban Development 2020 and the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and 
Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 included as Attachment A of the agenda report, for the 
purpose of engagement with the public from mid-April to early May 2022 
b) 
agree that land within the Auckland Light Rail Study Corridor (or an area within the corridor) 
shown in Attachment E of the agenda report should be shown with its current zoning and 
identified as being “under investigation” in the council’s preliminary response 
c) 
note that discussions are occurring between senior council and central government staff 
regarding issues associated with the timing of decisions on the Auckland Light Rail route 
and stops relative to the 20 August 2022 statutory deadline for notifying the Intensification 
Planning Instrument required under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development 
d) 
note that feedback will be sought on the following aspects of the National Policy Statement 
on Urban Development 2020, where the council has discretion: 
i) 
the approach to, and extent of, walkable catchments around the city centre, 
metropolitan centres and rapid transit network stops as required under Policy 3(c) 
ii) 
the approach to, and extent of, intensification of areas adjacent to the city, 
metropolitan, town, local and neighbourhood centres as required under Policy 3(d) 
iii) 
the selection of, and approach to, “any other qualifying matters” that limit the height 
and density that would otherwise be required as enabled under Policy 4. 
e) 
note that feedback will not be sought on matters in the National Policy Statement on Urban 
Development and the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) 
Amendment Act 2021 that are mandatory 
f) 
agree that Medium Density Residential Standards should not apply to Auckland’s 23 rural 
and coastal settlements that do not meet the population threshold specified in the Resource 
Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (as set 
out in Attachment B of the agenda report)  
g) 
endorse for the purpose of public engagement on the council’s preliminary response, the 
following approach to the Special Character Areas overlay in the Auckland Unitary Plan: 
i) 
Special Character Areas Residential overlay - the retention as a qualifying matter, 
areas of high-quality special character value, being those areas in which 75% or more 
of individual properties score 5 or 6 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 2 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
ii) 
Special Character Areas Business overlay - the retention as a qualifying matter the 
following entire areas as currently shown in the Auckland Unitary Plan: 
A) 
Balmoral Shopping Centre 
B) 
Helensville  
C) 
Howick 
D) 
Sandringham 
iii) 
Special Character Areas Business overlay - the retention as a qualifying matter the 
following areas, subject to a reduction in their extent as shown in Attachment D of the 
agenda report: 
A) 
Devonport 
B) 
Eden Valley 
C) 
Grey Lynn 
D) 
Kingsland 
E) 
Lower Hinemoa Street 
F) 
Mount Eden Village 
G) 
Newmarket 
H) 
Parnell 
I) 
Ponsonby Road 
J) 
Onehunga 
K) 
Ōtāhuhu  
L) 
West Lynn  
M) 
Upper Symonds Street 
iv) 
Special Character Areas Business overlay - the removal as a qualifying matter the 
entire Ellerslie area currently shown in the Auckland Unitary Plan 
h) 
agree that land within precincts contained in the Auckland Unitary Plan (that are within the 
scope of the intensification policies of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development) 
should be shown with their current zoning and identified as “under investigation” in the 
council’s preliminary response 
i) 
note that staff at Auckland Transport and Watercare and within the council’s Healthy Waters 
department are undertaking further analysis on how constraints on existing infrastructure 
may be applied as a qualifying matter, but that this will not be included in the preliminary 
response maps, as that analysis is not yet complete 
j) 
note that feedback on the council’s preliminary response will be presented to the Planning 
Committee at workshops and meetings in June and July 2022 to assist with the ongoing 
development of the Intensification Planning Instrument that must be notified by 20 August 
2022   
k) 
note that the section 32 analysis required under the Resource Management Act for the 
Intensification Planning Instrument is complex and work on capacity modelling, economic 
and planning analysis is continuing alongside the engagement on the council’s preliminary 
response 
Restatement 
l) 
agree that the report, attachments and the resolutions of the Planning Committee remain 
confidential until public engagement begins on the council’s preliminary response to the 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 and the Resource Management 
(Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021. 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 3 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
 
 
Horopaki
 
Context  
6.  The NPS-UD and the Amendment Act require that a proposed intensification plan change (IPI) 
must be notified by 20 August 2022. The Planning Committee received a memorandum on the 
NPS-UD on 10 August 2020 and a report on the proposed work programme on 4 February 
2021. Elected members have attended workshops and made decisions in 2021 and 2022 on 
preliminary policy directions to guide how the council will implement the NPS-UD. The 
chronology of workshops and committee meetings is set out in the overview report on the 
open section of the agenda. Resolutions of the committee associated with the NPS-UD are 
also included in the overview report. 
7.  A preliminary response to the NPS-UD has been prepared so that it can be made available to 
the public on the Auckland Have Your Say website. The preliminary response contains a 
series of maps that illustrate a zoning pattern that reflects the committee’s resolutions to date. 
The maps also illustrate locations where various qualifying matters endorsed by the committee 
would the limit the height and/or density that would otherwise be enabled. It is intended that 
alongside the maps there will be information sheets that help explain the council’s preliminary 
policy directions.   
8.  In August 2021 the committee approved an engagement approach which included workshops 
with local boards, the committee and mana whenua, and engagement with Aucklanders and 
key stakeholders, on council’s preliminary response (PLA/2021/98).  To that end, since 
October 2021, local boards and mana whenua have been involved in helping the council 
develop its preliminary response. This report recommends that engagement with the public on 
the council’s preliminary response takes place from mid-April to early May 2022. While this is a 
tight timeframe and coincides with Easter and school/university holidays, factors such as 
central government introducing major changes through the Amendment Act at the end of last 
year while retaining the 20 August 2022 deadline, and the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, 
have made it impossible to engage with the public earlier than now. Extending the 
engagement period further into May runs a very high risk of the council being unable to meet 
the 20 August 2022 statutory deadline.  
9.  Feedback received from the public, together with the ongoing involvement of local boards and 
mana whenua, will greatly assist the council in finalising the IPI for notification by 20 August 
2022. 
Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu 
Analysis and advice
  
The council’s preliminary response 

10. The council’s preliminary response (Attachment A) is illustrated in a series of maps that can be 
made available to the public in a Geographic Information System (GIS) viewer on the council’s 
Auckland Have Your Say website. The GIS viewer shows where the zoning in Auckland may 
be changed to give effect to the NPS-UD and where qualifying matters that affect heights 
and/or density (and any other relevant MDRS that enable development) may apply.  
11. The GIS viewer will be supported by information sheets that describe the process the council 
is following. There will be summaries of the preliminary policy response to walkable 
catchments and qualifying matters (those identified by the government and those identified by 
the council). The approach to intensification (policy 3 of the NPS-UD) will be described, as well 
as how this would be applied to different parts of Auckland. Some location-specific information 
sheets (such as one for the city centre) will be prepared. The AUP text of the new zone 
provisions will not be available for feedback, as this is still being prepared and tested.   
Settlements exempt from Medium Density Residential Standards 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 4 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
12. Tier 1 councils (including Auckland Council) are required to incorporate medium density 
residential objectives, policies and standards in all relevant residential zones. In Auckland the 
relevant residential zones in the AUP are the Single House, Mixed House Suburban, Mixed 
Housing Urban and Terrace Housing and Apartment Building Zones.   
13. The council included in its submission on the Resource Management (Enabling Housing 
Supply and Other Matters) Bill that rural and coastal settlements should be exempt from the 
MDRS requirements. This part of the council’s submission was successful, and the 
Amendment Act excludes MDRS from: 
a) 
offshore islands 
b) 
settlements with populations less than 5,000 people (as at the time of the 2018 
census) 
c) 
large lot residential, or rural and settlement zones.   
14. Analysis of 2018 usually resident census data of settlements with a relevant residential 
zoning demonstrates that: 
• 
23 of Auckland’s smaller settlements had less than 5,000 people, and so MDRS will 
not be applied. Attachment B lists the excluded settlements.  
• 
four of Auckland’s settlements had populations greater than 5,000 people. Subject to 
any qualifying matters, MDRS therefore apply to: 

Pukekohe 

Warkworth 

Waiuku 

Beachlands (note: Maraetai is a separate settlement whose population is too 
small for MDRS to apply).   
15. The small settlements excluded from MDRS are proposed to be shown with their operative 
AUP zoning in the council’s preliminary response. The Amendment Act gives council 
discretion to apply MDRS to relevant residentially zoned settlements with a population under 
5,000, if it is appropriate to enable intensification in that settlement. It is recommended that 
MDRS are not applied in the any of the 23 small settlements, as they are not well supported 
by public transport and bulk water infrastructure. This is not a matter that has been 
specifically addressed by the committee to date. 
Special Character Areas – Residential and Business 
16. In July 2021, the committee resolved that Special Character Areas (SCA) identified in the 
AUP that are “of high-quality” should be a qualifying matter under Subpart 6 3.32(1) of the 
NPS-UD. As a caveat, the committee resolved that where this approach has a significant 
impact on development capacity, a combination of a planning and heritage assessment 
should be undertaken. A site-by-site assessment of all SCA properties has subsequently 
been undertaken, being 21,120 SCA Residential and 1,682 SCA Business properties.   
Special Character Areas – Residential 
17. Individual properties within the SCA Residential were assessed in relation to five criteria 
based on the values of SCA Residential identified in the AUP, being: 
i) 
Scale 
ii) 
Relationship to street 
iii) 
Period of development 
iv) 
Typology 
v) 
Architectural style. 
18. Each criterion was marked as contributing, neutral or detracting, with one point awarded for 
each contributing criterion. An additional point (or loss of a point) was determined by the 
integrity of the property, with each property given an overall score of up to six. Data for 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
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Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
individual properties was then aggregated into an area-based percentage. Areas with at 
least 75% of properties scoring five or six points were determined to be high quality.1 
19. A score of five or six points means that the property contributes strongly to the special 
character values of the area. This, along with the 75% threshold, ensures that the area is 
cohesive and consistently conveys its values, and is therefore of a high quality. The “areas” 
are defined by the existing SCA Residential areas that they are identified in the AUP (for 
example, Isthmus A or B), as well as the underlying historic subdivision patterns and more 
recent patterns of development.  
20. The methodology developed for assessment of the survey results also allowed for areas that 
were not high quality to be subject to an additional, finer-grained analysis. The purpose of 
this analysis was to identify if there were sub-areas within the larger area that are of high-
quality.  Where it was determined SCA Residential was not high quality, the identification of 
potential historic heritage areas was also considered. Three potential historic heritage areas 
have been identified where the SCA Residential areas are not assessed as high quality. 
These areas are currently being evaluated to confirm if they meet the threshold for a historic 
heritage area in the AUP. 
21. At a regional scale, the current SCA Residential contains 21,120 properties. Of these, 
14,896 properties are within an area of high quality. This means that 71% of properties 
within the current SCA Residential overlay would remain within the SCA Residential overlay. 
In land area, the area recommended to be retained is 62% of the current area that has the 
SCA Residential overlay in the AUP. A preliminary analysis of alternative scenarios for SCA 
Residential is included as Attachment C. 
22. As an overall proportion of residential zoned land this is approximately 3%. At a regional 
level therefore, retaining the height and density restrictions that currently apply in these 
areas would have very little impact on Auckland’s capacity for housing. However, within the 
Auckland isthmus this is clearly higher, and as explained at the recent workshop with the 
committee, within the walkable catchments of the city centre, Mount Eden and Kingsland 
train stations, the proportion is higher yet again (32%, 20% and 46% respectively of all 
residential or mixed use zoned land). Unfortunately, there has been insufficient time since 
the completion of the survey work to explore the more localised capacity issues with the 
committee.   
23. It is therefore recommended that, as a preliminary response, feedback is sought on an 
approach that simply reflects the results of the assessment, and only includes areas of SCA 
Residential that meet the 75% high quality threshold. Feedback received will assist the 
committee in further exploring SCA Residential as a qualifying matter. 
Special Character Areas - Business 
24. Of the 18 SCA Business areas, 16 are of high quality. Of these 16 high quality areas, 13 are 
recommended to be subject to a reduction in their extent. These are Devonport, Eden 
Valley, Grey Lynn, Kingsland, Lower Hinemoa Street, Mount Eden Village, Newmarket, 
Parnell, Ponsonby Road, Onehunga, Ōtāhuhu, West Lynn and Upper Symonds Street. The 
maps of reduced extents are contained in Attachment D. The three high quality areas with 
no change recommended to their extent are Balmoral Shopping Centre, Helensville and 
Sandringham. 
25. Two SCA Business areas are not high quality, being Howick and Ellerslie. Ellerslie is 
recommended to be deleted from SCA Business overlay. The Howick SCA Business overlay 
has been the subject of extensive community input (including during and after the Auckland 
Unitary Plan hearings), has specific urban design provisions that differ from the other SCA 
Business areas, and was the subject of a recent council plan change to introduce a 
character statement to the AUP. It is therefore recommended that the council’s preliminary 
 
1 A preliminary analysis of the implications of adopting other thresholds for SCA Residential is included as Attachment 
C.     
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
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Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
response retains the Howick SCA Business overlay and that this matter is investigated 
further. 
26. At a regional view, the current SCA Business contains 1682 properties. Of these, 1128 
properties are within an area of high quality. This means that 67% of properties within the 
current SCA Business areas are recommended to be retained as high quality. 
27. Seven potential historic heritage places have been identified in the SCA Business 
assessments. These are in areas that are not of high quality or where the current extent of 
SCA Business is proposed to be reduced. These sites are currently being evaluated to 
confirm if they meet the threshold for a historic heritage place in the AUP.   
Precincts in the Auckland Unitary Plan 
28. There are 190 precincts in the AUP. Precincts enable local differences to be recognised by 
providing detailed place-based provisions that can vary the use and built form outcomes 
sought by the underlying zone or Auckland-wide provisions. Precincts can be more 
restrictive or more enabling than the zone (or zones) to which they apply. Many of the 
precincts in the AUP have been the subject of extensive community involvement over many 
years, plan changes to the AUP or the legacy district plans and in a number of cases, 
Environment Court decisions. 
29. Council staff have begun to analyse all precincts that are located in the urban environment. 
There are 161 of these precincts. The analysis seeks to identify whether or not they are 
affected by the NPS-UD and specifically whether they have provisions that protect 
government or council identified qualifying matters. This work is progressing in line with the 
committee’s resolutions regarding qualifying matters. What this means is that where a 
precinct has applicable qualifying matter(s) that act to reduce height and/or density, or affect 
the MDRS, it will be retained or amended to retain the precinct values. Where a precinct 
manages height and/or density, but does not contain applicable qualifying matter(s), it will be 
removed, in whole or in part. 
30. This is a substantial body of work, and will not be available in time to be included in the 
council’s preliminary response for feedback. This will be noted in the GIS viewer with the 
precincts tagged as “area under investigation”. Supporting information will explain why these 
areas are shown this way at this point in the process. 
Auckland Light Rail 
31. Central government has confirmed its commitment to light rail from the city centre to 
Māngere/Auckland Airport. However, the specific light rail route (and stops on the route) are 
still being investigated by the Auckland Light Rail project team within a defined study 
corridor (see Attachment E). The route and stops will not be confirmed until after 20 August 
2022.  
32. The different timeframes for the IPI and decisions on light rail present a number of risks for 
the council and central government that are being worked through with senior council staff 
and central government officials for a political decision. These risks arise from the fact that it 
is inevitable that the changes proposed within part of the light rail study corridor as part of 
the IPI, will need to be completely revisited in 2023 and 2024 when the route and stops are 
confirmed. This would result in residents, business owners and others having to commit 
time, effort and resources to two very different plan change processes for the same area 
within a very short (and potentially overlapping) period of time. 
33. At this stage, the council does not have the option of excluding land within the light rail study 
corridor from the IPI in August 2022. As such, the preliminary response in Attachment A 
includes proposed changes within the light rail study corridor. However, given the significant 
issues this raises and the ongoing discussions between senior council staff and central 
government officials, it is recommended that the committee agree to amendments to the 
council’s preliminary response in Attachment A that would show land within the light rail 
study corridor with its current zoning and highlight the area as “under investigation”.  
Topics where analysis is not yet complete 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 7 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
34. Staff are still analysing how some qualifying matters will be applied. This includes work 
required to give effect to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and matters associated 
with the transport network, storm water, water supply and waste water infrastructure. This is 
another substantial body of work, and will not be available in time to be included in the 
council’s preliminary response for feedback. These matters will, however, be discussed in 
information sheets, and workshopped with the committee as soon as practicable.   
 
 
Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi 
Climate impact statement
  
35. Objective 8 and policy 1 of the NPS-UD set out a policy framework that signals the need for 
decisions under the RMA to reduce emissions and improve climate resilience. 
36. This framework is in line with the 'built environment' priority of Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's 
Climate Plan, which has a goal of achieving "A low carbon, resilient built environment that 
promotes healthy, low impact lifestyles".
 The plan recognises that: 
"To move to a low carbon and resilient region, climate change and hazard risks need 
to be integral to the planning system that shapes Auckland. Integrating land-use and 
transport planning is vital to reduce the need for private vehicle travel and to ensure 
housing and employment growth areas are connected to efficient, low carbon transport 
systems." 

37. Applying the NPS-UD will enable additional residential intensification to occur in areas where 
jobs, services and amenities can be easily accessed by active modes and public transport. 
This will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the more efficient use of land 
will reduce growth pressures in areas more susceptible to the effects of climate change. In 
some places, applying the MDRS required under the Amendment Act will also achieve this 
outcome. However, a key aspect of the council’s submission on the Amendment Act was that 
enabling three-storey medium density housing across Auckland’s urban environment, is likely 
to result in a greater number of people living in areas where it is extremely difficult to provide a 
high level of public transport service. 
38. A more detailed analysis of climate impacts will be possible once the mapping work required to 
implement the NPS-UD and the Amendment Act is more advanced. As well as responding to 
the intensification requirements of the NPS-UD and Amendment Act, this mapping work 
applies qualifying matters such as avoiding natural hazards associated with climate change 
(e.g. coastal inundation and erosion associated with sea level rise).  
Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera 
Council group impacts and views
  
39. All relevant council departments and Council Controlled Organisations have been involved in 
preparing for the forthcoming engagement on the council’s preliminary response to the NPS-
UD and the Amendment Act. They will have an ongoing role during the feedback period 
through to and beyond 20 August 2022. Feedback received on the council’s preliminary 
response will be reviewed by the relevant departments and CCOs to assist the council in 
finalising the IPI for public notification.  
Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe 
Local impacts and local board views
  
40. Local boards were briefed in October and November 2021 on the implications of the NPS-UD 
and local board chairs were invited to the series of Planning Committee workshops run in 2021 
on the NPS-UD.  Local boards also received a detailed briefing on the council’s preliminary 
response in March 2022. Local boards will have the opportunity to provide formal feedback on 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 8 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
the draft IPI in mid-2022, prior to the committee receiving the proposed IPI in August 2022 for 
a decision to notify. 
Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori 
Māori impact statement
  
41. Auckland Council has obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its Significance and 
Engagement Policy to take special consideration when engaging with Māori and to enable 
Māori participation in council decision-making to promote Māori well-being 
42. The NPS-UD provides for the interests of Māori through intensification to increase housing 
supply, alongside its identification of qualifying matters. The widespread intensification sought 
by the NPS-UD has the potential to affect Māori both negatively and positively. This includes 
with respect to culturally significant sites and landscapes, Treaty Settlement redress land, the 
urban form as it reflects mātauranga Māori and accessibility, and Māori facilities where 
customs and traditions are observed (such as marae).  
43. The relevant qualifying matters set out in the NPS-UD and Amendment Act include matters of 
national importance that decision-makers are required to recognise and provide for under 
section 6 of the RMA 1991, and matters necessary to implement, or to ensure consistency 
with, iwi participation legislation. 
44. Policy 9 of the NPS-UD sets out requirements for local authorities as follows: 
“Local authorities, in taking account of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o 
Waitangi) in relation to urban environments, must: 

a)      involve hapū and iwi in the preparation of RMA planning documents and any FDSs by 
undertaking effective consultation that is early, meaningful and, as far as practicable, 
in accordance with tikanga Māori; and 

b)      when preparing RMA planning documents and FDSs, take into account the values and 
aspirations of hapū and iwi for urban development; and 
c)      provide opportunities in appropriate circumstances for Māori involvement in decision-
making on resource consents, designations, heritage orders, and water conservation 
orders, including in relation to sites of significance to Māori and issues of cultural 
significance; and 

d)      operate in a way that is consistent with iwi participation legislation.” 
45. Policy 9 directs the council to involve iwi and hapū in the NPS-UD, during the preparation of 
planning documents, and to take into account the values and aspirations of hapū and iwi for 
urban development in the region. In the context of the NPS-UD, the council must involve mana 
whenua and mataawaka within the region.  
Engagement 
46. All mana whenua entities recognised by the council receive ongoing invitations to engage and 
provide feedback on the NPS-UD programme. All representatives (including those electing not 
to participate in collective meetings or workshops) receive information, updates and hui notes. 
The council planning team encourage and ask iwi representatives to share key programme 
information with appropriate advisors, specialists and staff within their tribal organisations. 
47. Since October 2021, council staff have been engaging with mandated mana whenua 
representatives at both Governance and Kaitiaki levels on the NSP-UD and its wider 
implications across the region. This has been through collective and individual hui. Collective 
hui have been held on average every 4 to 6 weeks (excluding the Christmas period).   
48. As the implications of the NPS-UD have become more apparent, particularly through the 
Amendment Act in December 2021, potentially affected mataawaka facilities and location 
specific mataawaka groups have been identified. This identification has been done in 
consultation with the council’s Ngā Mātārae department and the Plans and Places Māori 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 9 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
Heritage Team. Targeted engagement with these groups commenced in March 2022 and will 
continue through to April 2022.  
49. Council staff also presented to the Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum in October 2021 
and March 2022.  The council has provided memorandum updates to Te Pou Toi, Toi Manawa 
and Te Pou Taiao in February 2022.   
50. The engagement being undertaken is consistent with Clause 3(1)(d) of Schedule 1 of the RMA 
which is a requirement for standard plan change processes.   
Themes emerging  
51. Individual and collective engagement has raised several key themes relating to such matters 
as the protection of scheduled and known cultural heritage and managing potential interface 
effects from new development with existing marae. This is supported by research undertaken 
by the council team in advance of these discussions with mana whenua. This has drawn on a 
wide range of council documents and publicly available information.  
52. Common themes that have been identified include: 
a) 
Universal access provided in residential design for less able whanau members 
b) 
Access to open space for health and wellbeing 
c) 
Safe and connected whānau and communities 
d) 
Avoiding development in areas poorly served by infrastructure 
e) 
Access to affordable housing options 
f) 
Maintaining access to customary activities e.g. waka launching, kaimoana gathering 
g) 
Protection of Māori sites and places of cultural significance. Maintaining precincts that 
protect cultural values or are otherwise culturally sensitive (such as Ihumātao) 
h) 
Avoiding negative effects of intensive residential development on established cultural 
activities/facilities (such as marae)  
i) 
Provisions for Kohanga reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori in urban areas 
j) 
Use of Māori design concepts in the development of commercial centres and in large 
residential developments 
k) 
Use of mātauranga and tikanga Māori in the management of resources 
l) 
The support of measures to maintain and improve water quality, ecological areas, 
volcanic viewshafts, and the coastline.  
m) 
Avoid exacerbating natural hazard risks 
n) 
Maintaining the cultural significance of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area 
o) 
Concern that Future Urban Zone land will be prematurely rezoned. 
53. The council’s engagement team is actively working across the NPS-UD project to consider 
these matters and are reporting back to the mana whenua representatives on progress.  
Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea 
Financial implications
  
54. Work on the NPS-UD has been progressing within existing budgets. However, the recent 
passing of the Amendment Act has resulted in a significant increase in the scale and 
complexity of the project, without any changes to the NPS-UD implementation timeframes. 
This will require a greater than anticipated level of change to the AUP and therefore a higher 
level of public participation and potential feedback and submissions.   
55. The financial impact of these changes will affect the current 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 
financial year, and potentially the following year. While it is expected that additional costs in 
the current financial year can be met through a re-prioritisation of work programmes within the 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 10 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
Chief Planning Office, further costs (primarily relating to operation of an independent hearings 
panel and engagement of specialists) may require re-prioritisation of other work programmes 
from across the organisation. Planning for the 2022-2023 financial year is currently underway, 
however any impacts will be of a scale that will not affect the council’s overall financial 
position. 
Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga 
Risks and mitigations
  
56. Central government has set a deadline of 20 August 2022 for the council to publicly notify the 
IPI. Given the scale and complexity of work required to meet this deadline, there is a risk that 
the quality of engagement on the council’s preliminary response will not meet the expectation 
of Aucklanders and key stakeholders, and that the council may not receive quality feedback 
from a wide range of interests. There is also a risk that Aucklanders and key stakeholders are 
unclear about the mandatory requirements of the NPS-UD and the Amendment Act, and 
where the council has some discretion. 
57. These risks will be mitigated by strong, clear communications in the lead-up to mid-April and 
during the engagement period. In terms of Aucklanders who are harder to reach, the council’s 
engagement team is about to make contact with a number of groups who represent 
Aucklanders who are historically less likely to engage, to raise their awareness of the NPS-UD 
and Amendment Act and the opportunity to provide feedback from mid-April to early May 
2022. Other engagement techniques are also be explored with a view to obtaining high quality 
feedback from as wide a range of interests as possible within the tight time constraints.  
Ngā koringa ā-muri 
Next steps
  
58. Should the committee endorse the preliminary response that implements the NPS-UD and the 
Amendment Act, staff will progress to engage with Aucklanders from mid-April to early May 
2022. Feedback received during this period will be analysed and presented to the committee, 
mana whenua and local boards to inform the completion of the IPI that must be publicly 
notified by 20 August 2022.  Public notification is the beginning of formal submissions and 
hearings of those submissions. 
 
Ngā tāpirihanga 
Attachments 

No. 
Title 
Page 
A  
Auckland Council preliminary response to the National Policy Statement 
 
on Urban Development and Amendment Act 
B  
Auckland Settlements With Usually Resident Populations Of Less Than 
 
5000, 2018 Census 
C  
Other Special Character Scenarios 
 
D  
Special Character Areas Business 
 
E  
Light Rail Corridor 
 
       
Ngā kaihaina 
Signatories 

Authors 
Eryn Shields - Team Leader  Regional, North West and Islands 
John Duguid - General Manager - Plans and Places  
Authorisers 
Megan Tyler - Chief of Strategy  
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 11 
Endorsement For Public Engagement 
 

Confidential Meeting of the Planning Committee 
  
31 March 2022 
 
 
National Policy Statement on Urban Development - Auckland Council Preliminary Response - 
Page 12 
Endorsement For Public Engagement