Pre-budget announcement on Government housing policy

“We are currently building around 9,500 houses each year in Auckland – which is the highest rate of house building there in eleven years.

“However, we need on average around 13,000 houses each year in Auckland for the next 30 years.

“The Government’s very clear expectation of Auckland Council is that it will approve a plan in August that delivers this.

It is for Auckland to decide how and where that target is achieved.”

In the meantime, says Bill English, the Government has an intensive work programme underway alongside the Council to free up more land to increase housing supply. Government development projects are expected to deliver at least 10,000 houses by 2020.

Later this year Government will be passing amendments to the Resource Management Act.

Go here to read the press release.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister this week said the Government will not be throwing money at housing initiatives in the Budget.

The Budget next week is expected to include some funding to buy up more surplus Crown land in Auckland for housing developments, as part of a scheme which was launched in last year’s Budget.

But there is unlikely to be any further money for housing schemes.

Mr Key said the main drivers behind unaffordable housing were supply, council infrastructure, and the speed and efficiency of consenting.

“These aren’t issues that are solved with more Budget funding so our focus is squarely on continuing to work with councils to get more houses built,” he told reporters at his weekly press conference.

The Government is working with local authorities to free up more land for housing and to increase supply through fast-tracked Special Housing Areas.

See more here