Auckland's Unitary Plan may have been given the green light, but the city's housing shortage still needs to be solved.

The High Court has ruled the "up-zoning" of thousands of properties is legal, in one of the main legal challenges of the 30-year plan.

The court ruled the rezoning of two places in Auckland's Unitary Plan as "out of scope", but the up-zoning of thousands of other properties is legal.

Homes in Mt Albert, Glendowie, Blockhouse Bay, Judges Bay, Takanini, Howick and Parnell have been rezoned.

The Property Council says the "up-zoning" decision will pave the way for hundreds of thousands of homes to be built.

But Generation Zero Auckland director Leroy Beckett said the Unitary Plan isn't a plan for building homes - it's a plan for allowing them to be built.

He said the private market is now able to build more homes in more places, including apartments and town-houses.

However an Auckland heritage group fears more historic homes could be demolished, following the High Court's decision.

 

Character Coalition chairwoman Sally Hughes said Auckland is already losing old homes and will lose more.

She said beautiful villas and other old homes are being demolished and newer, much larger houses are being built in their place.

Ms Hughes said the owners of these homes haven't been adequately consulted about the changes.

She said this was the last chance to get some justice for the 29,000 affected homeowners who were shut out of the process.

The case has been described as a "test case" for other legal challenges to the Unitary Plan.

Mr Beckett said the plan will still protect buildings with demonstrated heritage value and will give millions of current and future Aucklanders more housing options.

Though Ms Hughes said rezoning will do little to increase the supply of housing.