Infill Housing Review

New Wellington town houses

Infill housing is the process of building new dwellings within an existing suburb of older houses. It is an important way of providing for future growth in Wellington.

Wellington City Council agreed in July 2006 to review the way infill housing is managed in the city.

The review was prompted by:

• evidence that infill housing was being encouraged in areas that have poor access to public transport and services
• concern over the impact infill housing is having on the character of residential areas.

In response to these concerns, the Council has:

• made some changes to the District Plan in relation to residential areas
• initiated a consultation process on a targeted approach to infill housing.

District Plan Change 56

Recent changes to the District Plan have tightened key rules for new housing in residential areas. Since District Plan Change 56 came into effect in November 2007, Council officers have noticed a significant improvement in the quality of applications for new residential development.

District Plan Change 56

Targeted Infill Housing

The Council is considering a more targeted approach to infill housing that will direct this type of housing to areas of the city best able to cope with it.

In 2007 the Council received a favourable response to a public consultation on the idea of a targeted approach that would encourage growth:

• in and around key commercial centres with good public transport
• away from areas with significant character or poor infrastructure.

• A Targeted Approach to Infill Housing - May 2007 (680Kb PDF)
• Summary of Consultation and Feedback - June / July 2007 (247Kb PDF)

Infill housing

Since the first consultation, the Council has put together proposals for:

• Areas of Character Protection – where significant character values require protection from inappropriate development.
• Areas of Change – where redevelopment of housing would be encouraged, resulting in moderate to significant increases in residential density.

These proposals are detailed in the discussion paper: How and where will Wellington grow - proposals for change and character protection.

Discussion Paper: How and Where will Wellington Grow?

The Council held a public consultation on these proposals from 10 May until 14 July 2008. A summary of the consultation and feedback will be available online later this year.

Next Steps

Information from the second consultation will help prepare a final proposal for areas of character protection and change. There will be further consultation later this year on this proposal which will include:

• final lists of proposed areas of character protection / change showing boundaries
• the proposed plan change with policies and rules to enable development according to the proposed outcomes
• a programme of non-statutory actions to implement the new policy
• an amendment to the Urban Development Strategy, incorporating the new policy and priority actions.

The Council will consult formally on the proposed plan change in late 2008.

More Information

Paul Kos
Senior Strategic Advisor, Urban Development

Related Links

• A Targeted Approach to Infill Housing - May 2007 (680Kb PDF)
• Accessibility Map: 5-minute Walk to Public Transport (1.19Mb PDF)
• Discussion Paper: How and Where will Wellington Grow?
• District Plan Change 56
• Focus Group Report - October 2006 (1.63Mb PDF)
• Intensification and the District Plan (222Kb PDF)
• Quantifying the Growth Spine (901Kb PDF)
• Residential Intensification and the Wellington Urban Development Strategy (867Kb PDF)
• Roading Constraints and Opportunities for Infill Housing and Intensification (2.67Mb PDF)
• Social and Environmental Effects of Residential Infill (159Kb PDF)
• Suburban Centres Review
• Summary of Consultation and Feedback - June / July 2007 (247Kb PDF)
• Urban Character Assessment (6.74Mb PDF)
• Urban Development
• Wellington City Profile and Policy Stocktake (3.64Mb PDF)

Department Details:
Urban Development & Transport