Variation 2 to the 2GP has enabled greater density in residential areas across the city.

This will help ensure there is enough housing of the right types to cater for Dunedin’s future housing needs. Demographic changes mean we will need more housing suited to one and two person households over time. This need is reflected in the increased interest in developing multi-unit dwellings, such as townhouses and apartments, with a significant increase in building consents issued for these over the last 18 months.

Multi-unit development comprising three or more units, and new buildings with a footprint exceeding 300m2, require resource consent so that the effects of the proposed development, specifically the effects on the character and amenity of the streetscape, can be considered.

DCC’s City Planning department encourages pre-application meetings where a new multi-unit development is proposed. DCC’s urban designers can provide no-cost feedback on initial concepts so that any potential issues can be resolved prior to the consenting stage. The following matters are examples of what is considered when consent is applied for:

• Does the building design reflect the residential scale?
• Is the building design and placement appropriate for the context of the site, including considering form (roof pitch, scale, massing, window placement, entrance detailing, and/or proportion) and materials?
• What landscaping is proposed and how effective will it be in enhancing amenity and/or mitigating adverse effects?
• Where is any car parking located?
• Does the development provide adequate green space and maintain an appropriate balance of green space compared to built and hard features?
• Will development adversely affect any heritage streetscape values in the immediate neighbourhood?

The Ministry for the Environment has recently released a national medium density design guide, which can be viewed on the DCC website here.

We are also currently exploring options for providing additional design guidance that is specific to Dunedin. Our intention is to consult with the development community over 2023 to identify what guidance is desired by the industry, and what format to present it in. If you are involved or interested in the design and construction of multi-unit developments and would like to be involved, please contact either Peter Christos or Maria Callaú on 03 477 4000.