Sensible approach to urban development bodes well for wider planning system – Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)

Urban development will be better enabled by the newly established Housing and Urban Development Authority, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).

The EMA’s chief executive Kim Campbell says, “The approach is a good one to speed up the brownfields development in cities where we need to keep up with population growth.

“Many of the powers of the new Authority, eg, compulsory acquisition of land, already exist in the planning system but this Authority has greater power and an approach that allows it to speed up decision-making on developments.

“This will better provide communities with good transport links and other infrastructure to create well-planned and liveable environments.

“The key to the success of the Authority will be in the quality of governors appointed to run it – expected to be operating in 2020.

“The Authority will be able to over-ride existing planning law and consent its own plans and complete developments in shortened time periods, which requires a genuine consultative approach with existing communities.

“If development is managed properly, people requiring ‘affordable housing’ will not be displaced from their communities so that fears of gentrification need not be a problem.

“Urban Development Authorities operate very successfully overseas to speed up the provision of housing and infrastructure, attract private investment and provide new design thinking that we need.

“We welcome this new model but its creation also highlights shortfalls in our wider resource management system, including urban planning. The re-write of that must continue while the Authority provides immediate relief to the urban housing crisis,” Mr Campbell says.