Housing Minister Bishop Downplays Impact as Auckland Housing Targets Drop to 1.4 Million Homes

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says reducing Auckland's housing target to 1.4 million homes provides certainty while allowing for local flexibility.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 6:02 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from RNZ

Shifting Targets and the Search for Certainty

The government has once again reduced the minimum housing accommodation target for Auckland, lowering the legal requirement to 1.4 million homes over the next 30 years. This marks the third adjustment since the original goal of 2 million was proposed. Housing Minister Chris Bishop told Morning Report that the change is intended to settle long-standing debates and provide certainty to both the Parliament and the community. Despite the lower legal floor, Bishop noted that upzoning requirements around the City Rail Link (CRL) and other rapid transit stations will likely result in the council delivering closer to 1.6 million homes in practice.

Flexibility for Auckland Council via Plan Change 120

The target reduction follows Auckland Council’s decision to opt out of the medium-density residential standards (MDRS) that apply to other major New Zealand cities. Instead, the council is advancing "Plan Change 120," a bespoke process that allows for greater flexibility in zoning. This approach was partly driven by pressure from heritage advocates concerned about intensification in character areas. Bishop emphasized that the government is now "kicking the issue into Auckland Council's hands," granting local officials the flexibility they requested to determine exactly where density occurs within their constituents' neighborhoods.

Mayor Wayne Brown Advocates for a Global City

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown welcomed the move, stating it gives the city the autonomy to grow into a "global city" rather than becoming the "world's biggest suburb." The Mayor argued that the new flexibility allows for better management of natural hazards through downzoning while retaining high-density development where it makes the most sense—specifically along major transport routes. Brown expressed a desire for the central government in Wellington to "get out of the way" so that Auckland can proceed with its own vision for urban development.