Christchurch's housing defiance could inspire copycat councils

Residents' associations in Christchurch are furiously lobbying against increased intensification. (Image: Christchurch council)

Oliver Lewis

Thu, 26 Jan 2023

Failing to intervene in Christchurch over its defiance of housing intensification directives could result in similar behaviour from other councils, officials warned. Last September, a majority of Christchurch councillors voted against notifying a plan change giving effect to the national policy statement on urban development (NPS-UD) and the medium-density residential standards (MDRS). Both directives, supply-side responses to the housing crisis, require councils to amend their district plans to enable housing intensification. Th...

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