Projects
Review of Auckland urban planning and infrastructure

Auckland has an evolved metropolitan governance structure and a united voice on regional issues, with the capacity to make significant, high-impact decisions.

SGS was commissioned by the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development (NZCIP) to audit the Auckland Plan, along with its accompanying suite of place and sector strategies, and the region's infrastructure investment plans, against 20 markers of good practice.

The documents relate to the efficiency of governance arrangements in integrating spatial and infrastructure plans, the deployment of capital investment into ‘city shaping’ infrastructure and managing suburban densification in line with the market.

The audit found the plans were a comprehensive and cohesive suite that provided a clear and worthwhile vision for the City. A comparison with other regions shows that Auckland is well-positioned to make informed strategic spatial planning decisions. The markers of leading practice that informed the audit were:

1. A compelling and demonstrably achievable vision for Auckland’s spatial development.
2. A comprehensive schedule of implementation actions with clear assignment of action responsibility.
3. A clear set of measurable outcome indicators benchmarked against a base case or leading comparator cities.
4. Unambiguous translation of the vision into a statutory plan with attendant policies and decision rules for development assessment.
5. Fair, transparent and pre-notified user pays contributions for the extension and augmentation of urban infrastructure.
6. Separation of policies and rules for various forms of development contributions - user pays, impact mitigation and value capture.
7. Clear policy direction for road pricing.
8. Ongoing system for community engagement in plan monitoring and review.
9. Ongoing community education programs regarding the merits of the compact city.
10. Analysis showing how the spatial vision will underpin Auckland's competitive advantages and ongoing economic development.
11. Mechanisms to deal with land fragmentation, contamination, infrastructure deficits and other market failures deterring brownfield and infill development.
12. Clear policy direction for value capture as part of an infrastructure funding strategy.
13. Demonstrated adequacy of affordable and market accessible land supply for greenfield development.
14. Demonstrated adequacy of affordable and market accessible land supply for infill and brownfield development.
15. Clear policy direction for inclusionary affordable housing provisions in statutory planning rules.
16. Publicly accessible charter assigning planning and infrastructure responsibilities to Central Government, ACC and Local Boards in line with subsidiarity principles.
17. Documented criteria and systems for distinguishing 'strategic' from structural and follower infrastructure, and for optimal investment in line with the spatial vision.
18. Separate and broader evaluation and implementation processes for candidate strategic projects geared to leveraging city shaping effects in line with the spatial vision.
19. Adoption of development sequencing policies or similar to support efficient roll out of structural and follower infrastructure.
20. Wide palette of non-detached dwelling forms around suburban nodes, recognising market demand realities and creating opportunities for a variety of developer types.