Auckland council clears path for high rise apartments along busy bus routes

Auckland councillors will allow high-rise apartments to be built along the city's busy bus routes as well as train stations, in a decision that will go to local boards and iwi before public consultation.

The government reduced the minimum housing capacity required for Auckland Council's Plan Change 120 from two million to 1.4 million earlier this year.

The city's councillors have agreed to progress two options - one which ring-fences intensity within 10 kilometres of the city centre, while the other also allows for high-rise housing on busy bus routes and around local town centres.

The government expects the council to deliver its final proposal this time next year.

Earlier, Policy and Planning Committee chairman Richard Hills said the council had to upzone or build more houses around walkable catchments, town centres, metropolitan centres, and Western Line train stations, which ran from Swanson to Waitematā Station.

"Local boards and mana whenua will be able to give feedback on that preferred option and then we'll (councillors) come back next month for the committee to make another decision to either approve some changes or send out a draft proposal to the community."

The council was not expected to deliver its final proposal to the government until June 2027, after consultation and an independent review panel.

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