09 March 2017


This NZPI analysis critically examines Government UDA proposals for compensation and compulsory acquisition of residential land for residential purposes; for the taking of public land; for shifting development planning outside existing RMA district plans; and the rejection of value uplift and betterment approaches for funding. The government has recently announced new draft legislation allowing central government and local government to work together identifying urban development projects, and which would establish new powers enabling Urban Development Authorities to plan, fund and implement urban redevelopment projects.

You can download NZPI’s preliminary analysis here.


We seek member feedback prior to preparing a formal NZPI submission due by 19th May. This preliminary analysis is presented under these headings:

  1. Background and Purpose of this Analysis. NZPI generally supports the establishment of urban development agencies as planning implementation mechanisms. This section briefly outlines NZPI’s views on UDAs, and provides the rationale for this preliminary document.

  2. Policies selected for the UDA Proposal Framework. Since 2008 NZ government ministries have analysed and advised upon a range of policy options for UDAs. The section introduces and summarises that work and raises questions about the powers that have been adopted and that have been discarded from the present draft proposals.

  3. Summary Description of the UDA Proposal Framework. This section briefly introduces and summarises the current UDA proposals.

  4. Specific Concerns with the UDA Proposal Framework. This is the heart of this document. It critically examines proposals for compensation and compulsory acquisition; taking of public land; shifting planning outside existing district plans; and rejection of value uplift for funding.