Zoning

Review of Residential 1 and 2 zones

General information
The character zones
Summary of the plan change

We are currently seeking feedback on draft changes to Residential 2. Click here for more information.

General information

We have adopted new planning rules which offer greater protection for the city's character suburbs.

The new rules introduce tighter controls for the demolition or removal of pre-1940s homes in residential 1 and 2 zones, which include parts of Ponsonby, Mt Eden and Remuera.

The rules also introduce enhanced architectural guidelines to ensure new houses built in these areas use designs and materials that are sympathetic with the character of these suburbs.

The council decision follows a hearings panel recommendation that plan change 163 be adopted with some modifications. Many of the changes are intended to make the plan change easier to understand and include more diagrams and better explanations of the rules.

They also recommended that the council consider the following steps:

encouraging people to refurbish properties rather than building new
improvements to the process for dealing with residential 1 and 2 applications
further training and staff resourcing to handle applications.

Check proposed plan change 163 for details and site specific information.

The character zones

The residential 1 zone is intended to protect the built historic character of Auckland's early established residential neighbourhoods. Promoting the survival of the historic form of these neighbourhoods is the primary objective of this zone. The zone includes large portions of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, St Mary's Bay, Freemans Bay, and Mt Eden, with smaller pockets in Ellerslie, Onehunga, Parnell, Avondale and Otahuhu. These areas are dominated by a large number of villas and bungalows which contribute to their valued special character.

The residential 2 zone is intended to protect the spacious and tree-filled qualities of sites characterised by generously sized lots, wide roads and lower densities often with period housing. The residential 2 special character zones can be found primarily in Mt Albert, Herne Bay, Epsom, One Tree Hill, Parnell, Remuera, Kohimarama, and St Heliers. Smaller areas of residential 2 can be found elsewhere in the city.

The locations of the residential 1 and 2 zones throughout the city are shown on the following map. To confirm the zone of a specific property you need to check the district plan maps.

Click on the map image to view an overview map of the residential 1 and 2 zones in pdf format pdf icon.

(1Mb)

If you do not already have the free Acrobat Reader software you will need to download it from the Adobe website before you can view the map

Summary of the plan change

Plan change 163 introduces new provisions to the residential 1 and 2 zones, including:

that the demolition or the removal of any building constructed prior to 1940 in the residential 1 and 2 zones will require a resource consent as a restricted discretionary activity
that external additions or alterations to existing buildings and all new and relocated buildings in the residential 1 and 2 zones will require a resource consent as a restricted discretionary activity
that new and/or revised assessment criteria will apply for external additions and alterations, new and relocated buildings, and the demolition or removal of any building constructed prior to 1940
that new and/or revised objectives and policies will apply for the residential 1 and 2 zones
that a new appendix on architectural design guidelines for the residential zone 1 be introduced
that the front yard landscaping development control for the residential 1 and 2 zones be reduced from 60 per cent to 50 per cent
that a new 3m plus 45 degrees building in relation to boundary development control be applied to the longer road frontage boundary of any corner site in the residential 1 zone
that a new development control in front yards in relation to the fence/wall height in the residential 2 zone be introduced. Maximum permitted height is 1.4m but this can be increased to 1.8m in height if 40 per cent of the entire structure is visually permeable
that a change to the fencing provision of 1.2m in the residential 1 zone from restricted controlled activity to restricted discretionary development control be introduced.

Key changes to the plan change introduced by the hearings panel include:

a change of activity status for development control modification for rule 7.8.1.15 fences, walls and other structures, from discretionary activity to restricted discretionary and changes to the assessment criteria for this activity
removal of the need to publicly notify applications for demolition or obtain the written approval of or serve notice on affected persons except as provided for by section 94(c) of the Resource Management Act 1991
altered and additional assessment criteria for demolition and inclusion of a 30 per cent by volume threshold for demolition
changes to the assessment criteria for alterations and additions and new buildings in the residential 1 and 2 zones and changes to the landscaping provisions for the front yard of sites in the residential 1 zone.

Reviewed July 2008