Can our city’s infrastructure handle the level of density that these new rules will enable?
Direction from the Government limits what rules we can add that would manage the pressure of increased density on our roads and water, wastewater and stormwater pipes. While we can’t require checks for three dwellings/three storeys, we are proposing to require assessments on the impact to our infrastructure (roads and pipes) for four or more dwellings.
Usually we would only allow development in an area if we knew our infrastructure could handle the needs of the additional people living there, and we would manage this through a resource consenting process.
With the changes required by the Amendment Act, this will continue to apply for higher density developments, but not for up to three dwellings.
Medium density development (up to three dwellings)
With the changes required by the Amendment Act, from now on developers don’t need to provide infrastructure assessments for up to three dwellings on a site.
- Modelling of water supply and wastewater infrastructure capacity has shown that our trunk network (big pipes) can accommodate the level of development that would be delivered as a result of the new medium density rules. However, we do not know whether the smaller pipes servicing specific streets will be able to cope, as we don’t know where or when this development will occur. We can’t put restrictions through the plan change to limit density in specific areas on that basis. So we are considering other mechanisms, outside the city plan, to help us manage infrastructure capacity for one to three dwellings where there are capacity constraints such as identifying which parts of the city have infrastructure constraints and investing in upgrades.
- As for transport, the Western Bay Transport System Plan (TSP) is being rolled out to support future ‘up and out’ city growth, including catering for the higher densities that will be enabled by the plan change. The TSP aims to connect existing and new urban centres to make it easy to move around to work, learn and play. The TSP is focused on creating a shift from cars onto public transport, improving safety, providing reliable travel times and creating better walking and cycling connections.
- Council will also be managing the use of public road space and supply of on-street parking through the Parking Strategy.
Higher density developments (four dwellings and more)
We are proposing to require infrastructure capacity assessments for water, wastewater, stormwater and transport for higher density developments (four or more dwellings/ storeys). The point of these assessments is to understand whether there is enough capacity in the local network to support each development.