Auckland Council’s Plan Change 120 – “Have Your Say“
You may have recently received a letter from Auckland Council about proposed changes to Auckland’s Unitary Plan. The letter has caused some confusion, so here’s a quick explanation of what it’s all about.
The Unitary Plan is the rulebook that sets out what can and can’t be built on each property — including how high, how close to boundaries, and how intensive development can be.
Council has now publicly notified Plan Change 120, which will significantly change the zoning rules for most Auckland properties. Over time, these changes could impact almost every street and neighbourhood, including those here in St Heliers and Glendowie.
The wording in the Plan is to provide for “planned urban built character”; therefore, you need to anticipate the character of our suburbs is changing whether we like it or not. If you do not support this concept, you can say so.
Furthermore, if your property has been rezoned from Single House Zone or Mixed Housing Suburban to Mixed Housing Urban, it’s important to understand that the new development standards will now apply. This means that a three- to four-storey building could potentially be built next to a single-storey home, resulting in possible overlooking and loss of sunlight, as these effects are permitted under the Urban Zone height standards.
We will continue to see ad-hoc, high-intensity developments appearing throughout our suburbs — now at even possibly greater heights and densities than those currently permitted.
Public consultation opens today, 3rd November and everyone — including renters and homeowners — is invited to have their say.
Submissions Close 19th December 2025.
You can find more information, maps, and fact sheets on Council’s website as follows:
- View Plan change 120:
https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plan-changes
Check your property’s current zoning here:
https://unitaryplanmaps.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/upviewer
See proposed zoning changes for your property here:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/a69c494d01e341689b68a89a6eea2b86
What’s Changing?
- Many 2-storey “Mixed Housing Suburban” zones are proposed to be up-zoned to 3-storey “Mixed Housing Urban” zones.
- Around transport hubs and town centres, building heights could increase to 10–15 storeys.
- Some Single House Zoned areas will be up-zoned, although coastal, ecological, and special character areas may retain more protection.
- The Special Character Area overlays will be reduced across Auckland, including in some heritage suburbs.
Background
- In 2016, the Unitary Plan enabled greater housing density across Auckland.
- In 2022, Government-introduced MDRS rules allowed up to three 3-storey dwellings on almost any property without consent, leading to widespread infill housing and infrastructure strain.
- In 2024, the Government allowed Auckland to opt out of the MDRS rules but still required capacity for 2 million new dwellings. Plan Change 120 is Council’s proposed way to achieve that.
What You Can Do
We encourage all residents to take the time to review how these changes may affect your property and neighbourhood, and to make a submission.
Your feedback is important — it helps ensure local voices are heard as Auckland shapes its future housing and infrastructure plans.