Advice about housing densification around train stations
Mike Bell made this Official Information request to Chris Bishop
The request was successful.
From: Mike Bell
Dear Chris Bishop,
This is a request under the Official Information Act 1982. In your capacity as Minister for Housing and for Resource Management Act Reform you announced that the Government would require Auckland Council to allow apartments of at least 15 storeys around the Mount Eden, Kingsland, and Morningside Stations, and 10 storeys around the Mount Albert and Baldwin Avenue stations. You stated that this was to enable development that would benefit from the new rapid transit rail link via the City Rail Link.
As you and your officials will be aware, the City Rail Link will enable faster and more frequent trains from most train stations on the network, but it will particularly benefit Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Orakei, Meadowbank, Glen Innes, Panmure, Sylvia Park and Grafton - in addition to the stations you mentioned, but some of the stations you mentioned will not receive as much benefit in terms of frequency and speed as some of these ones.
Many of these stations are also in areas with more potential for housing densification, being low density and close to other transport links and amenities, such as Grafton, Remuera, Greenlane and Ellerslie.
I request copies of:
1. Any advice you received from officials (including, but not limited to, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Transport) explaining why this decision was limited to these five stations.
2. Any advice that considered other train stations on the network in connection with this decision, including but not limited to Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Orakei, Meadowbank, Glen Innes, Panmure, Sylvia Park, and Grafton.
I would prefer to receive any responses in electronic form.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Bell
From: Christopher Bishop (MIN)
Chris Bishop
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Kia ora,
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Kind regards,
Office of Hon. Chris Bishop
Minister of Housing | Minister for Infrastructure | Minister Responsible
for RMA Reform | Minister of Transport | Associate Minister of Finance |
Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation | Leader of the House
Private Bag 18041 |Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160 | New Zealand
Office phone: +64 4 817 6802 | Email: [3][email address]
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2. mailto:[email address]
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From: Christopher Bishop (MIN)
Chris Bishop
OIA25-CB182
Dear Mike,
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act
request dated the 22^nd of August 2025. You have requested the following
information:
"1. Any advice you received from officials (including, but not limited to,
the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of
Transport) explaining why this decision was limited to these five
stations.
2. Any advice that considered other train stations on the network in
connection with this decision, including but not limited to Parnell,
Newmarket, Remuera, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Orakei, Meadowbank,
Glen Innes, Panmure, Sylvia Park, and Grafton.
I would prefer to receive any responses in electronic form. "
We received your request on 22/08/2025. We will endeavour to respond to
your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than
19/09/2025, being 20 working days after the day your request was
received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension of that timeframe.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Chris Bishop
Minister of Housing | Minister for Infrastructure | Minister Responsible
for RMA Reform | Minister of Transport |
Associate Minister of Finance | Associate Minister for Sport & Recreation
| Leader of the House | MP for Hutt South
Office: 04 817 6802 | EW 6.3
Email: [1][Chris Bishop request email] Website: [2]www.Beehive,govt.nz
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Email disclaimer:
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permission of the sender. If this email is received in error, it remains
confidential and you may not copy, retain or distribute it in any manner.
Please notify the sender immediately and erase all copies of the message
and all attachments. Thank you.
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Dear Mike,
On behalf of Hon Chris Bishop, Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, please
find attached a letter in response to your request for information dated
22 August 2025.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Chris Bishop
Minister for Housing | Infrastructure | RMA Reform | Transport | Associate
Finance |
Associate Sports & Recreation | Leader of the House | MP for Hutt South
Email: [1][email address] Website: [2]www.beehive.govt.nz
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/
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