The future of housing in Franklin

The future of Franklin’s housing landscape will now depend on the changes brought about by a new plan that was voted in by Auckland Council last month.

On September 24, councillors voted 18-5 in favour of scrapping Plan Change 78 (PC78) and replacing it with Plan Change 120 (PC120), which will now go to public consultation later this year.

Either plan has the same target, which is to enable at least the same amount of housing capacity – approximately two million homes across Auckland.

However, PC120 removes the blanket rules that previously allowed three-storey housing across most of the city, instead concentrating higher density development around town centres, train stations and rapid bus routes.

Andy Baker is a councillor for Franklin ward and the chair of the Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee. He told the Franklin Times that PC 120 will provide more choices for Franklin residents.

“It means in particular that towns like Beachlands, Waiuku, and parts of Pukekohe will not have the big changes in housing types that would have occurred under PC78 which basically allowed any property owner in the mixed house urban or suburban zones (huge parts of those towns) to be able to build up to 3 houses up to 3 stories high without resource consent,” he said.

He said under PC78, there would be “no consideration of things like flood plains, height to boundary restrictions or heritage factors which in my view was a terrible outcome for Franklin generally.”

“It means less change for our towns but the ability to intensify near public transport hubs etc which is far more nuanced than the sledgehammer approach of PC78.”

Baker said that for other parts of Franklin, there will be little change other than the current Unitary Plan.

He said PC120 will provide better protection for residents, especially considering the impact of the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods, which claimed the lives of four people.

“It allows a more nuanced approach that enables recognition of some pretty important things like flood plains, heritage and height to boundary. But it also importantly provides diversity in housing and development types.

“Not everyone wants to live in, or beside three-storey townhouses jammed on a section nor in an apartment that is not close to things like public transport.”

Baker said Franklin towns will have “choices from townhouses and apartments through to ever-increasing-sized sections, which is what makes it such a great place to live.

“We need to keep that sort of choice.”

Baker said he seconded an amendment from the deputy mayor that was eventually included into the main motion to ensure that height-to-boundary controls be retained for the 10 and 15-storey building zoned areas.

PC120 is expected to be publicly notified on October 30, with submissions open from November 3 to December 19. Public hearings will follow in 2026.