The Coalition for More Homes

36 organisations (including Kiwiblog) have put their name to an open letter to the Auckland Council urging them to adopt the Unitary Plan, which will allow Auckland to grow up and out.

The letter says:

On 20th of July, the Independent Hearings Panel issued their findings on the Unitary Plan. These recommendations include a range of strategies to allow for more housing across the City. The Unitary Plan is not the only action that is needed from Auckland Council and the Government to address the housing crisis – but it is an urgent first step.

The Unitary Planning process, including the Independent Hearing Panel review, has taken four years. The time for deliberating is over, the process has been followed, it’s time to get on with it. 

I don’t agree with everything in the Unitary Plan. I’d like to see the Metropolitan Urban Boundary abolished (as Phil Twyford has proposed) rather than just expanded. But I think it takes a large step in the right direction, and that the time is past for tinkering with it. The time is here for the Auckland Council to adopt it in its entirety.

Individuals can add their support to the open letter also. Please do so if you agree with it. Even if like me you don’t live in Auckland, what happens in Auckland affects the entire country. If more land is not made available for housing, then house price inflation will continue at unsustainable levels, which threatens the overall economy.

Signatories include:

• NZ Initiative
• Property Council of NZ
• Generation Zero
• Bays Community Housing Trust
• The Morgan Foundation
• The Salvation Army
• Transport Blog

I doubt there are any other issues all these groups agree on. But they do all agree that the Council should pass the Unitary Plan as proposed.