Land development ‘formulas’ under the Unitary Plan

As planning consultants, the question my colleagues and I hear most often from clients is: ‘Could you look at this site and tell me how it could be subdivided?’

The introduction of Auckland’s Unitary Plan more than two years ago brought genuinely consistent land development rules across the city, from east to west and north to south.

Combining these rules with our years of experience in land development planning, we have gradually identified patterns in Auckland’s development planning.

Below, I explain development ‘formulas’ through three factors: zoning, housing types and sizes, and site shape. I hope this will help YIJU New Zealand readers better understand their land’s potential.

{ad}

Zoning: the primary basis for assessing development density

Zoning is an important component of the Unitary Plan and our primary basis for assessing land development density.

For residential building sites, the Auckland land we commonly encounter falls into four main categories: Single House, Mixed Housing Suburban, Mixed Housing Urban, and Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings.

Most Single House sites cannot be further subdivided. Only a small number of sites larger than 1200 square metres can be subdivided directly;

however, sites with an existing dwelling and an area of 900–1200 square metres may also have subdivision potential. Contact a professional for advice on the specifics.

Apart from Single House sites, the other three residential categories all allow subdivision. Provided the relevant zone’s design standards are met, a site may accommodate several homes or even more than a dozen.

For these three zones, the general patterns can be summarised as follows:

Mixed Housing Suburban: 2–3 two-storey detached homes, two pairs of semi-detached homes, or multiple townhouses;

Mixed Housing Urban: 3–4 two- or three-storey detached homes, three pairs of semi-detached homes, or multiple townhouses;

Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings: 5–6 two- or three-storey townhouses, or higher-density small three-storey apartment buildings.

Housing types and sizes: specific parameters to follow

Broadly speaking, Auckland has 3 main housing types: detached homes, townhouses (in pairs or groups of three), and apartments. In density terms, most detached homes and townhouses are found in medium- or medium-to-high-density zones.

For smaller sites, such as those below 1000 square metres, small apartment developments offer limited value, so developers often consider denser groups of townhouses.

Achieving high density while meeting basic living space needs, however, presents a major challenge for designers and planners.

The Unitary Plan and Auckland Design Manual provide specific parameters for reference:

A studio must have a minimum area of 30 square metres.

A dwelling with one or more bedrooms requires at least 45 square metres of space.

A standard bedroom should measure 3 metres by 3 metres.

A living room should measure 3.5 metres by 3.5 metres.

There is no fixed size requirement for a dining room, but it must accommodate a dining table while allowing unobstructed movement.

In the kitchen, 1.2–1.5 metres of clear space must be maintained in front of the benchtop.

Outdoor living space must be at least 20 square metres, with a minimum depth of 4 metres.

A studio or one-bedroom dwelling must have a balcony of at least 5 square metres, with a minimum depth of 1.8 metres.

A dwelling with two or more bedrooms must have a balcony of at least 8 square metres, with a minimum depth of 1.8 metres.

Site shape: each layout has its advantages

Auckland sites tend to have fairly regular shapes, commonly falling into three categories. The first is a rectangular street-front site, usually 600–800 square metres;

the second is a rear site with a long driveway resembling a frying pan’s handle, hence the name ‘panhandle’, usually 800–1000 square metres;

the third is a corner site, generally rectangular or square. Each has distinct characteristics and can be considered using the following ‘formulas’:

Rectangular street-front sites: their regular shape makes them particularly suitable for higher-density townhouses;

rear panhandle sites: these suit low- to medium-density detached housing. Unless the long driveway is 5.5 metres wide, meeting the standard for two lanes, developing more than 5 homes is not recommended;

corner sites: driveways can open onto streets in two directions, providing convenient access and making these sites particularly suitable for high-density townhouses or small apartment developments.

These sites have clear advantages, but because they directly adjoin a crossroads or T-junction, attention must be paid to their frontage width: a frontage must exceed 10 metres to be suitable for a driveway entrance.

I hope this overview has given you a basic understanding of land development. Using these ‘formulas’, we can help identify the best option for your site’s characteristics.

Land development is, of course, a complex and lengthy process. Subdivision outcomes cannot be determined solely by zoning, size and site shape. Successful, efficient development also requires information on engineering, the environment, hydrology, transport, policy and market conditions.

If you have specific questions about developing a particular site, please contact us for an in-depth discussion tailored to its circumstances.

 

About the author

Wayne Wang

Bachelor’s degree in urban planning from the University of Auckland;

member of the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI);

committee member of the NZPI Auckland–North Island Branch;

founder and director of GUC planning consultancy.