Auckland central residents raise flooding, infrastructure concerns about intensification
Friday, 3 July 2026
An Auckland resident has called a plan to intensify the region a “development grenade”, urging authorities to improve infrastructure if more houses have to be built.
Georgie Pickford, from the Eden Kingsland Society, was a part of 15 resident groups that packed out the Albert-Eden Local Board office on Thursday, to present their views on Plan Change 120 (PC120).
While most were worried about the flooding, natural hazard risk and infrastructure pressures 15-storey apartment blocks would bring, others were keen for more affordable housing near key public transport links.
Pickford said enabling intensification without proper infrastructure was pure negligence, highlighting the 2023 flooding where even Eden Park, with its state of the art draining facilities, was flooded.
“This is a development grenade,” she said.
Auckland Council recently endorsed two scenarios for potential changes to PC120, which sets a minimum requirement of 1.4 million homes through legislation passed this year.
Scenario A (essentials only) focuses solely on meeting the Government's mandatory requirements, limiting six-storey height rules mostly to large walkable catchments around major transport nodes.
Scenario B (expanded intensification) also retains the Government's mandatory requirements, but enables additional housing opportunities across more areas, near key public transport links and the city centre.
Albert-Eden and Waitematā local board areas will be mostly affected by PC120.
Pickford said they supported Option B, but only with the exclusion of high quality Significant Ecological Areas in the Kingsland and Maungawhau walkable catchment.
She said residents of the special character area adjacent to Eden Park and Dominion Rd were proud to live in some of Auckland’s earliest architectural heritage homes.
“Our street’s set on solid basalt rock. We have no storm water pipe system, and a 100-year-old waste water pipes running through our backyards.
“How will developers connect their 15-storey apartments, and let’s be very real here, three-by-three developments to such an adequate infrastructure without compromising the health and safety of existing residents?”
Michael Neill, representing Mt Eden east and west said he was baffled about the proposals in PC120 ‒ a contrast between extraordinary care council took in setting up special character areas, and evaluating each house before an area was defined.
“Whereas under the present circumstances, all we see is that planners have simply decided to lop off chunks on either side of our special character areas.
“And not only that, but the new design suggests that on either side of what remains of these special character areas, 15-plus storeys can be erected.”
Connor Sharp, a long time resident of Albert-Eden, was more supportive of the proposed intensification.
He said the area was losing a lot of young people who can’t afford to stay.
“Given the lack of housing affordability and lack of housing availability … the fact that we took too long to get it right. I’m 25 years old, I hope to spend another 80 years living in the city.
“There is a saying, the property ladder ‒ it feels like it’s kinda pulled up on us. It doesn’t feel accessible, people want home ownership.”
After hours of listening to resident groups and staff present on the proposed plans, the Albert-Eden Local Board voted 5-2 to support option B.
Chairperson Margi Watson said it allowed for intensification in other areas, and not just Albert-Eden.
“That will ensure that there is opportunity, and it is across the city and that is where growth is appropriate because the investment in public transport is already made.”
PC120 timeline — what happens next?
Late July 2026 — Council decides on proposed amendments
August 2026 — Public submissions open (formal chance to have your say)
Late 2026–2027 — Public hearings
By June 2027 — Final Governing Body decision
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air