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Unitary Plan is 'quite visionary' - economist

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 28 Jul 2016, 6:35AM
Economist Shamubeel Equab spoke with Andrew Dickens. Photo / NZ Herald

Unitary Plan is 'quite visionary' - economist

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 28 Jul 2016, 6:35AM

An independent economist says Auckland's Unitary Plan is "quite visionary" - in that it's planning for growth beyond what's forecast in the city.

The plan paves the way for 422,000 extra houses by 2050.

Shamubeel Eaqub told Andrew Dickens this is a massive increase from the initial plan - which was about half this.

"What the plan does is at least lays out a philosophy that is about being ambitious and being very permissive, so there's a lot of really good stuff in here, and panel did a phenomenal job in what is a very complex area."

However, Mr Eaqub said he would have liked to see inclusionary zoning in the plan.

This means percentage of any new development must be affordable.

Labour's leader has criticised the fact this wasn't included in the plan.

Mr Eaqub said this is something that's used quite successfully overseas.

"The UK has rules around that for larger developments, it is something that I would have liked to have seen, because it forces developers to provide that variety of housing."

He said putting something like that in place right now would have made a difference - because housing is so fundamentally over-valued.

LISTEN ABOVE: Economist Shamubeel Eaqub speaks with Andrew Dickens

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