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PC 78: Intensification

Operative in part

About the plan change

This proposed plan change responds to the government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (amended in 2022) and requirements of the Resource Management Act. These mean the council must:

enable more development in the city centre and at least six-storey buildings within walkable catchments from the edge of the City Centre, Metropolitan Centres and Rapid Transit Stops
enable development in and around neighbourhood, local and town centres
incorporate Medium Density Residential Standards that enable three storey housing in relevant residential zones in urban Auckland
implement qualifying matters to reduce the height and density of development required by the RMA to the extent necessary to accommodate a feature or value that means full intensification is not appropriate.

Status

Notified on 18 August 2022.

Submissions close on 29 September 2022.

Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 5 December 2022.

Independent Hearings Panel pauses some hearings in response to council’s request (PDF 104KB). See 19 May 2023 minutes (PDF 331KB).

See the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) independent hearings webpage.

Hearings - For more information, see the NPS-UD Hearing Documents.

Errata to the Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 12 December 2022.

Further submissions period extended and has now closed midnight 20 January 2023.

Errata (missed submission points) to the Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 16 January 2023.

Opportunity to lodge a Further submission to those missed submission points notified on 16 January 2023 closes at midnight on 30 January 2023.

Errata (missed/ incorrect submission points) to the Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 23 January 2023.

Opportunity to lodge a Further submission to those missed/ incorrect submission points notified on 23 January 2023 closed at midnight on 7 February 2023.

Errata (missed submission points) to the Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 27 February 2023.

Opportunity to lodge a Further submission to those missed submission points notified on 27 February 2023 closed at midnight on 13 March 2023.

Errata (missed submission points) to the Summary of Decisions Requested notified on 3 March 2023.

Opportunity to lodge a Further submission to those missed submission points notified on 3 March 2023 closed at midnight on 17 March 2023.

Errata (late submission waiver granted) to the summary of decisions requested document notified on 21 August 2023.

Opportunity to lodge a Further submission to those submission points notified on 21 August 2023 closed at midnight on 4 September 2023.

Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) Recommendations for the City Centre received on 8 May 2025.

Auckland Council's Decision on IHP Recommendations for the City Centre notified on 29 May 2025.

Operative in part (as it relates to City Centre) on 6 June 2025.

Variations proposed alongside PC 78

We are required to incorporate medium density residential standards that enable three storey housing in residential areas for plan changes that were not completed by 18 August 2022. These variations will be processed alongside PC 78. Find out more information on Variations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Additional plan changes proposed

We are proposing additional plan changes to the regional policy statement, for transportation, and for the scheduling of historic heritage and notable trees. Find out more information on Plan Changes 79, 80, 81, 82 and 83.

Decision documents

Included here is the Auckland Council decision made on the recommendations for the City Centre by the Independent Hearings Panel for the Plan Change 78 Intensification notified on 29 May 2025.

The council's decision includes:

Panel recommendations accepted by the council.

Auckland Council accepted all of the Independent Hearings Panel's recommendations for the City Centre.

Recommendation documents

The Independent Hearings Panel for the Plan Change 78 Intensification delivered its recommendations on the City Centre to the council on 8 May 2025.

This section includes:

Recommendation Report Hearing Topics - City Centre, City Centre Precincts and relevant Qualifying Matters
Supporting appendices, including the following recommended provisions:

Chapters H8 Business - City Centre Zone, H9 Business - Metropolitan Centre Zone, H10 Business - Town Centre Zone, H11 Business - Local Centre Zone, H12 Business - Neighbourhood Centre Zone, H13 Business - Mixed Use Zone, H14 Business - General Business Zone, H15 Business - Business Park Zone, I201 Britomart Precinct, I202 Central Wharves Precinct, I205 Downtown West Precinct, I206 Karangahape Road Precinct, I207 Learning Precinct, I208 Port Precinct, I209 Quay Park Precinct, I210 Queen Street Valley Precinct, I211 Viaduct Harbour Precinct, I212 Victoria Park Market Precinct, I214 Wynyard Precinct, Chapter A Introduction, D14 Volcanic Viewshafts and Height Sensitive Areas Overlay, D26 National Grid Corridor Overlay, E25 Noise and vibration, Using Chapter K, Schedule 9 Volcanic Viewshafts Schedule, Appendix 11 Business - City Centre Zone sunlight admission into public places, and Appendix 20 Volcanic Viewshafts and Height Sensitive Areas - Values Assessments

Plan change documents

Operative in part documents

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PC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in partPC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in partPDF2.2 MB
PC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in part – Attachment 1PC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in part – Attachment 1PDF23 MB
PC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in part – Attachment 2PC 78 as it relates to City Centre – Operative in part – Attachment 2PDF62.5 MB

Decision documents

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Public NoticePublic NoticePDF37.2 KB
Auckland Council DecisionAuckland Council DecisionPDF5.2 MB
Auckland Council Report on IHP Recommendations for the City CentreAuckland Council Report on IHP Recommendations for the City CentrePDF1.9 MB

Recommendation documents

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Independent Hearings Panel Cover LetterIndependent Hearings Panel Cover LetterPDF101.7 KB
Recommendation Report Hearing Topics - City Centre, City Centre Precincts and relevant Qualifying MattersRecommendation Report Hearing Topics - City Centre, City Centre Precincts and relevant Qualifying MattersPDF1.9 MB
Appendix 1 – Submissions and Further SubmissionsAppendix 1 – Submissions and Further SubmissionsPDF262 KB
Appendix 2 – ProvisionsAppendix 2 – ProvisionsPDF10.2 MB
Appendix 3 – MappingAppendix 3 – MappingPDF1.9 MB
Appendix 4 – Witness and evidence listAppendix 4 – Witness and evidence listPDF383.9 KB

Updated combined summary of all decisions requested (at 11 July 2024) and further submission report (at 11 July 2024) including reallocated topics

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Combined summary of all decisions requested (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics) (PDF format)Combined summary of all decisions requested (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics) (PDF format)PDF15.7 MB
Combined summary of all decisions requested that have additional allocations from IHP (as at 25 Mar 2024) (PDF format)Combined summary of all decisions requested that have additional allocations from IHP (as at 25 Mar 2024) (PDF format)PDF600.6 KB
Combined summary of all decisions requested (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics and IHP additional topics) (Excel format)Combined summary of all decisions requested (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics and IHP additional topics) (Excel format)XLSX2.4 MB
Report by further submission number (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics) (Excel format)Report by further submission number (as at 11 July 2024 including reallocated topics) (Excel format)XLSX20.4 MB

Errata (late submission waiver granted) to the summary of decisions requested document – 21 August 2023

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF77.2 KB
Errata (late submission waiver granted) to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata (late submission waiver granted) to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF119.3 KB

Further submission report documents

Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested document – 3 March 2023

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF113.5 KB
Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF122.7 KB

Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested document – 27 February 2023

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF113.3 KB
Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF111.4 KB

Errata (missed/ incorrect submission points) to the summary of decisions requested document – 23 January 2023

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF113.4 KB
Errata (missed/ incorrect submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata (missed/ incorrect submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF118.6 KB

Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested document – 16 January 2023

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF114.5 KB
Errata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata (missed submission points) to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF442.3 KB

Errata to the summary of decisions requested document – 12 December 2022

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PC 78 – Public NoticePC 78 – Public NoticePDF76.1 KB
Errata to the summary of decisions requested documentErrata to the summary of decisions requested documentPDF124.5 KB

Notification of summary of decisions requested (SDR) documents – please refer to Combined summary of all decisions requested (at 30 Oct 2023 including reallocated topics) (PDF)

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PC 78 - Auckland Unitary Plan (OIP) Summary of decisions requested report Reader's GuidePC 78 - Auckland Unitary Plan (OIP) Summary of decisions requested report Reader's GuidePDF335.4 KB
PC 78 - Public NoticePC 78 - Public NoticePDF74.5 KB
PC 78 - Summary of decisions requestedPC 78 - Summary of decisions requestedPDF8.2 MB
PC 78 - Summary of decisions requested (Excel format)PC 78 - Summary of decisions requested (Excel format)XLSX1.2 MB
PC 78 - Submitter list in alphabetical orderPC 78 - Submitter list in alphabetical orderPDF1.1 MB
PC 78 - Submitter list in numerical orderPC 78 - Submitter list in numerical orderPDF1.1 MB
PC 78 Submissions - Find my submission search toolPC 78 Submissions - Find my submission search toolPDF42.5 KB

Information documents

Notification documents

PC78 Section 32 landscape report by Stephen Brown- as directed by IHP 21 April 2023

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PC 78 - Section 32 landscape reportPC 78 - Section 32 landscape reportPDF9.4 MB
PC 78 Section 32 landscape report – Attachments – Part onePC 78 Section 32 landscape report – Attachments – Part onePDF156.6 MB
PC 78 Section 32 landscape report – Attachments – Part twoPC 78 Section 32 landscape report – Attachments – Part twoPDF152.3 MB