Enabling Housing One Home at a Time

It looks likely that Plan Change 120 will be partially withdrawn. One of the positive things about the MDRS and plan change 120 was that it enabled a lot more housing all over the city which would mean that developers and builders (and home owners) could respond to emerging markets and needs easily without needing a resource consent.

Option A is basically the NPS UD 2020 enabling up to six storey development near centres, train stations and major bus corridors). Option B is that plus more height in walkable catchments, more upzoning in local centres and bus routes) within 10km of the city centre. Both leave out most bus routes and centres outside that cordon.

Natural hazard mapping means development opportunities are held as the AUP or downzoned where particularly at risk. This is I think generally a good thing but does provide some challenges for owners to mitigate the risk to themselves and their property.

So, I had a thought.

What if the height limit in single house and mixed housing suburban zones was increased to 11m? It would mean you could build a taller house, or lift a house, to put a granny flat underneath, or do a loft conversion for an extra bedroom or two. It would mean being able to lift the floor of a place higher above flood waters. It would all be subject to other overlays and rules around height to boundary.

What would be the risk in doing that?