What Auckland’s Plan Change 120 could mean for local board areas
Auckland Council is making changes to the Auckland Unitary Plan – the city’s rulebook for where and how new homes and buildings can be built.
The proposed plan will introduce stronger rules to better protect communities from floods, coastal erosion and inundation. It will also enable more homes near rapid transit public transport stations, along frequent transport routes and around urban centres nearer to jobs, shops, and everyday services.
Following persistent advocacy from the council, in August 2025, the Government changed the law so the council could replace Plan Change 78 with a new version — Plan Change 120.
The proposed plan will introduce stronger rules to better protect communities from floods, coastal erosion and inundation. It will also enable more homes near rapid transit public transport stations, along frequent transport routes and around urban centres nearer to jobs, shops, and everyday services.
The changes propose to:
Introduce tougher consenting rules in flood risk areas to make new homes more resilient, and apply single house zoning in the most at-risk areas.
Focus new homes within walking distance to the city centre, urban centres, transport stops with fast and frequent services such as train stations and the Northern and Eastern Busways.
Remove the medium-density residential standards and amend the standards for three-storey housing in the zone that allows for such housing in Auckland.
Meet Government requirements to provide an opportunity for the same total housing capacity as Plan Change 78.
Meet government directions, including increased building heights around five key Western Line stations: 15 storeys at Maungawhau, Kingsland and Morningside; and 10 storeys at Baldwin Avenue and Mt Albert stations, as well as identifying other areas where taller buildings could be enabled under this plan.
Allow more apartment buildings along a number of Auckland’s transport corridors with frequent bus services. Up to 6 storeys, around 200m back from the road.