Last week we had Jim Lunday, (a qualified urban planner, architect, and urban designer) talk about what is possible for the Red Zone under the City Plan. I found this really interesting. I am aware some found this challenging.
The next part of Jim’s talk was how precisely the recently announced 3 storey as-of-right construction on existing sections would be implemented. This decision involved both Labour and National parties. A typical central government approach demonstrating that really there is not much difference between our political parties in this country.
Jim has worked around the world and spoke about how this sort of decision would be implemented in other places. Jim was the designer of the lanes strategy in Melbourne and spoke about how the State of Victoria would have handled this sort of decision. The day after the decision was announced (after the issue had been discussed with local government first) a “design guideline” would have been handed to local government. In NZ that design guideline is totally absent.
However, what will occur in New Zealand will be that people will start going over the top and piss off neighbours and the media will be full of angry residents and inevitably they will blame local government. They will have to blame someone, and why not the outfit which they perceive has allocated the permits?
The three storey as-of-right announcement was a complete crock of nonsense without design guidelines. Once again allowing the “market” to decide what will happen. . Politicians playing to the crowd and looking like they are doing something.
It was pleasing to see Eugenie Sage, chair of the parliamentary select committee and a thoughtful MP, in attendance and asking good questions of Jim. This was an excellent session.
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