UPDATED 2.30PM  Police believe the man whose body was found on the footpath in the west Auckland suburb of Te Atatu died of natural causes.

Police have identified the man, and are informing his next-of-kin.

A post mortem examination will be carried out tomorrow, however at this point indications are that the man has likely died of natural causes.

Police cordoned off a section of Te Atatu Rd, near Royal View Rd, but the cordon is not affecting motorists.

A New Zealand Herald photographer at the scene said the body was behind a bus stop and about 30cm inside the low brick fence of a house on the corner of Te Atatu and Royal roads.

"There's three cops on each corner [of the scene], about three or four detectives and the forensic guys are here."

The body was covered by a tarpaulin.

The cordon was only around the grass area where the body was found, and not the driveway of the house, he said.

No one appeared to be home.