Central government has confirmed changes to Auckland’s Plan Change 120, including dropping the requirement for the plan to enable the same overall housing capacity as its predecessor, Plan Change 78.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop outlined the shift while speaking to the Committee for Auckland. The move allows Auckland Council to withdraw parts of Plan Change 120 and reduce intensification in some areas. The government also plans to investigate the city centre planning rules that were updated in 2025 to allow unlimited building heights.

Mayor Wayne Brown welcomed the change in approach, saying intensification should focus on transport corridors and areas with infrastructure, and avoid flood plains. He described previous capacity targets as theoretical and said decisions about where and how the city grows should sit with Auckland.

Auckland Council’s policy and planning lead Megan Tyler said the council acknowledges the more flexible capacity requirement and will brief the public once details and timeframes are confirmed. She said more than 10,000 submissions have been made on Plan Change 120 and the council will continue to ensure communities are represented.

Plan Change 120 updates the city’s planning rules to enable greater building heights around five Western Line stations — Maungawhau, Kingsland, Morningside, Baldwin Avenue and Mt Albert — and tightens rules to make homes more resilient to flooding and other natural hazards. It also limits or stops new development in areas at high risk from flooding, landslides, coastal erosion and coastal inundation. As with any plan change, what is actually built depends on market demand.

What’s changing, according to the government:

• The requirement to match Plan Change 78’s housing capacity will be dropped.
• Council may withdraw parts of Plan Change 120 and reduce intensification elsewhere.
• Aucklanders will be able to engage on these additional changes.
• The city centre’s unlimited height rules will be investigated.

Next steps: Auckland Council will work with central government to clarify the new requirements and will update the public when more information is available.