Unitary plan passed, what now?

The overarching plan for Auckland’s future has been passed by the city’s councillors after five years of planning and four days of hearings.

Unitary Plan hearings concluded at the Auckland Town Hall last week as councillors argued over some of the more contentious points of the 7000-page document.

Deputy mayor Penny Hulse said it was a relief to pass the long-awaited council blueprint.

‘‘If I’m honest it’s a little bit like childbirth you know you for- get the bad bits immediately and the bit that feels the most resonant for me is we’ve seen Aucklanders turn out in their thousands, we’ve seen good democracy happen.’’

Mayor Len Brown called it an ‘‘outstanding process’’ and said he was off for a few beers to celebrate.

The final Unitary Plan was notified on Friday.

Hulse said the plan ‘‘may need to change and may need to evolve’’ but the bulk of it was finished and ticked off by councillors.

She said the task now was to work with the private sector to focus on top priority infrastructure projects and ’’above all else, build more affordable houses’’.

‘‘We need to get stuck into the reality of what the plan allows in Auckland.’’

Brown added: ‘‘the blueprint’s there, now is the opportunity for the sector, the NGOs to get on and build a lot more houses’’.

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith said the Government welcomed the passing of the plan, which was a ‘‘key component of the long-term solution’’ to Auckland’s housing challenges.

‘‘This plan eases zoning regulations and the more than 400,000 properties it allows for is about double that of the plan which was notified by the council in 2013.

‘‘The Government has always said that council rules which have blocked new housing development are at the core of the city’s housing problems and so this new plan is at the heart of the longterm solution to Auckland’s housing problems.’’

The plan allowed the council to move on from the ‘‘cumbersome and outdated plans’’ it inherited from previous councils, Smith said.

DO AUCKLANDERS GET A CHANCE TO APPEAL THE PLAN?

There are limited rights of appeal. The parts of the plan the council accepts can’t be appealed, except on points of law in the High Court.

If the council rejects one of the panel’s recommendations anyone who made a submission on that topic can appeal to the Environment Court. If the council accepts a recommendation outside of submissions made to the panel, anyone affected can appeal to the Environment Court.

The appeal period closes on September 16.