One Wellington woman's dream to redevelop her property can now be realised thanks to new planning rules.
The Government wants New Zealand’s high-growth cities like Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington to keep building upwards, so it has scrapped minimum car parking requirements.
The rules will override previous regulations councils had to abide by and see compulsory car parks gone and apartment blocks built higher.
Just a few weeks ago Wellingtonian Kate Pearce told 1 NEWS the parking rule was stopping her from building on her own land.
With the new rule change revelations, Ms Pearce is overjoyed.
“It's just about making sure our city, our country moves into the future rather than being stuck in the past,” she says.
Another alteration to the rules will mean six storey buildings will no longer have height requirements. Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford says the move ensures councils are required to zone more land for housing and it also frees up the rules so cities can grow up.
“We don't have a lot of room in Wellington, we can't go down so we've got to go up,” says Ms Pearce.
Though the changes are positive for some, new homes also need new infrastructure, and that comes with a big price tag.
Penny Hulse, planning expert says that can be constrained “by the ability to have pipes in the ground and the ability for local government to pay”.
Councils have been limited in how they fund that crucial infrastructure because many have reached their borrowing limits.
But, legislation passed today allows for private financing that can be paid off over decades with targeted rates.
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