August 2025
On 21 August 2025, Auckland Council will consider draft changes to the Unitary Plan replacing Plan Change 78 — strengthening hazard protections and potentially boosting housing capacity from 900k to 2M homes. Learn what this means for developers and landowners.
July 2025
If you own Land Use Capability (LUC) Class 3 land, changes may be on the way. The Government is proposing to remove LUC 3 restrictions under the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL). Now’s a good time to understand what’s being considered.
July 2025
The Government’s Going for Housing Growth discussion document, released on 18 June 2025, proposes major planning changes to address New Zealand’s housing shortage. Public submissions are open until 17 August 2025.
June 2025
Two recent updates from Watercare and central government are set to influence how and where growth can occur across Auckland. These changes affect both infrastructure planning and urban development zoning.
June 2025
Auckland Council has adopted a revised Development Contributions Policy effective 1 July 2025. The final policy sets lower rates than initially proposed, easing cost pressures for developers and helping support better housing affordability across the region.
May 2025
From early 2026, the proposed new rules will allow minor dwelling units (granny flats) of up to 70m² to be built on most residential and rural-zoned sites without the need for building or resource consents. Learn more about what is expected to be permitted under the new regulations.
April 2025
Cato Bolam is proud to announce the promotion of Joshua Wium and Kaaren Joubert to Associates. Learn more about their expertise and contributions to our multi-disciplinary team.
April 2025
The Government’s proposed Resource Management Act (RMA) reform aims to simplify land use regulation, strengthen property rights, and tighten environmental protections. With significant changes on the horizon, now is the time to understand how the proposed system could impact your projects.
