New Zealand Lawmakers Propose Countrywide 'Medium Density Residential Standards'

New Zealand lawmakers will consider a pair of proposed laws that that will allow more dense housing options around the country.

"New intensification rules will allow buildings of up to three storeys on most sites in cities without any need for resource consent from August 2022," reports Henry Cooke of the recently unveiled bill. Consent will also not be required to build on up to 50 percent of properties.

"The bill is paired with a speed-up of the Government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), which stops councils hindering development by banning height limits of less than six storeys and car parking requirements in urban areas," adds Cooke. The NPS-UD will now take effect in August 2023.

"Analysis from PWC suggests these changes will add between 48,200 and 105,500 new dwellings over the next five to eight years," reports Cooke.

New Zealand officials announcing the proposed bill touted the benefits of urban density as a response to skyrocketing housing prices and claimed the law would provide new planning policy certainty to homeowners, councils, developers, and investors.