Remove out-of-zone housing developments from the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024

What is this about?

This petition asks the New Zealand Parliament to change the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. This law allows certain large infrastructure and housing projects to skip the usual, slower local council approval process. The petitioners want to stop this fast-track process from being used for housing developments that do not fit within the rules of their local District Plan (the local council’s long-term map of where different types of buildings are allowed).

Current Situation

The government introduced the Fast-track Approvals Act to speed up the construction of major projects, including housing, to help address New Zealand’s housing shortage. However, critics argue that the law has been used to approve housing projects in areas that local councils have specifically designated for other uses, such as rural farming or conservation. This has led to conflicts between developers, local residents, and councils who feel their planning authority is being bypassed.

Arguments in Favour

• Local Control: Supporters argue that local councils should have the final say on what is built in their communities, ensuring new housing fits the local character and infrastructure capacity.
• Precedent: They believe allowing out-of-zone development creates a dangerous precedent, potentially leading to uncontrolled sprawl into rural or protected areas.
• Fairness: Critics of the current law argue it is unfair to existing residents who must follow strict zoning rules while new developments bypass them.

Arguments Against

• Housing Crisis: Opponents argue that New Zealand needs to build houses quickly. Removing these projects from the fast-track could delay thousands of homes, worsening the affordability crisis.
• Efficiency: The fast-track process is designed to cut through bureaucratic red tape. Removing housing from it could reintroduce delays that make projects financially unviable.
• National Interest: The government maintains that housing is a national priority and that local opposition should not be able to block essential infrastructure and housing growth.

Relevant Context

The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 was passed to streamline approvals for projects deemed of national significance. According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the goal is to reduce approval times from years to months. The specific controversy centers on Schedule 2 of the Act, which lists the types of projects eligible for fast-tracking. Currently, it includes certain housing developments. The petition seeks to amend this schedule to exclude any housing that does not align with the local district plan, effectively forcing those projects back into the standard, slower local council consent process.

⚡ Cached from a previous visit