Our changing cityscapes

By - , Build 187

Annemarie8
Annemarie8

THE RECENT joint announcement by the Labour Government and National Party of new building intensification rules is a timely backdrop to the feature in this Build – intensification and urban planning. These new rules will mean up to three homes of up to three storeys can be built on most sites without the need for a resource consent. The aim is to enable more medium-density housing and to cut red tape that is a barrier to development.

Our cityscapes have been changing with a surge in medium-density housing, and it’s not just in the main centres. On a trip to Nelson earlier this year, I was slightly surprised to see medium-density housing springing up from the plains in a new subdivision near Richmond – I shouldn’t have been. Building consents for townhouses have increased rapidly, and in 2020, 11,603 townhouse consents were issued – 63% of which were in Auckland.

How to build higher-density housing where people can thrive, not just survive, has been one focus of research in the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge. Researchers found four major considerations to successfully designing, building and placing medium-density housing – privacy, accessibility, adaptability and community collaboration.

This Build, we also look at community-focused housing approaches that are more common overseas – cooperative housing, and cohousing. These present untapped opportunities, particularly for struggling first-time buyers.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and farewell Graeme Hughes who for 31 years and 187 issues has sold Build advertising with endless passion and commitment.

From BRANZ and the Build team, I wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday. Ngā mihi o te tau hou.

Annemarie Crampton
Build Editor

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Articles are correct at the time of publication but may have since become outdated.

Annemarie8
Annemarie8

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