Knowing ones place in Planning to deliver desirable outcomes
The frank discussions with Hamish Rennie over the weekend on LinkedIn about the National Standardised Zones got me thinking two things:
1) Private and Public Realms when it comes to Planning (and design)
2) Role of Planners and Designers with Placemaking
From my standpoint as a Planner, the NSZ’s make sense. 15-20 Zones (see comments on the Japan style) that give the framework on what can be developed (while still giving effect to the Spatial Plan). This covers the Private Realm which Planners leave alone outside of using the NSZ’s as that guide for private development.
We have to remember that the NSZ’s give the framework on what can be developed where. Developers will adapt to the local geographies without the need for a plethora of Overlays gumming the works. Meanwhile, placemaking in the Public Realm is where influence can be extracted into the Private Realm. WITHOUT Planners nitpicking over design features of a private realm development, something Auckland Council is extremely bad in doing!
However, Planners and Designers have big role to play in Placemaking is the PUBLIC REALM. The Public Realm with place-led placemaking will have a very large influence (negative or positive) on what will happen in the Private Realm. That is quality public realm placing making will attract private investment who then maximise what is allowed under what ever NSZ zone is placed. Poor placemaking or public realm spaces will lead to the private realm being underutilised.
Transit Orient Developments, where Public and Private Realms fusion takes place
Transit Oriented Developments are the perfect litmus test on place-led public realm placemaking heavily influencing private realm development in that same space.
Auckland as an example has around 50 potential TOD spots where Public Realm placemaking can happen thus influence surrounding Private Realm development.
Waitemata Station in Auckland City Centre is a case of this being done well. Manukau City Centre is one where the potential is absolutely there, it just needs some love and bravery to do so. Especially as Manukau has the bus and rail stations, plus the upcoming Airport to Botany Rapid Transit Stage 2 running through the middle of it. Manukau also has a sea of car parks just waiting for Public and Private Realm place led development.
Manuaku City Centre, Airport to Botany, and Tactical Urbanism as Current and Future Public Realm Place Making
Manukau has had public realm activation’s including the two stations, and turning Osterley Way into a one way. Further upgrades to Osterley Way is on its way, and we have Airport to Botany Rapid Transit also in the pipeline.
Manukau City Centre sits under a Metropolitan Centre Zone, the second most liberal and dense zone behind the City Centre Zone. Both zones will be likely in the National Standardised Zones giving consistency for future private realm development.
Private Realm development that needs encouragement given all that parking in Manukau as we saw in the photos.
Development (both public and private) that would be perfect for the Placemaking book that I am embedded below!
Placemaking, place-led development, National Standardised Zones, and the role of the Planner, a conclusion
I am of the conclusion as a Planner that our influence in the Private Realm should only go as far as applying the National Standardised Zone in accordance to the Spatial Plan (the idea of the proposed Planning Act by the way). That is it. The rest in the Private Realm is for the developer including meeting local geographic contexts to where they are developing.
As for the Public Realm, this is where Planners and Designers can apply their magic in making thriving cities through place led development. We get this right, the influence into the Private Realm will be more positive than the current nitpicking seen against the private realm. Aka Planner Overreach!
Let’s put our tools in the right place where they can influence and achieve the best results in our urban and rural spatial forms.
The 20 Minute Suburb as Place Led Placemaking?
This document on the 20 minute suburb provides a wider foundation on bring all those placemaking ventures together. Essentially a higher order document for connected communities.
Talking Southern Auckland 
Morning Ben. Thanks.
Can you give me your opinion on the recent K Road / Jimmy Kirkpatrick Jnr 12 or 15 level 6 Green Star 500mm from a new CRL rail station RC decline decision?
And being a Parliamentary type question, what is your/ the/ Hamish Rennies solution to that decision?
I recently gave my opinion on Blue Sky and LinkedIn about the recent rejection by Auckland Commissioners regarding the K Road office development. In short, roll on the new Planning Act where Non Complying Activity Status will be removed. Aka the Commissioners and Council will lack the ability to reject such a development in such a location. In the meantime the decision is off to the Environment Court, so watch this space!
As for what I would do?
I am writing a post on Japan’s Land use laws, where our National Standardised Zones are coming from.
I should in that post touch briefly about K Road.
Morning Ben. Yes, the current consensus is the under the existing AUP and RMA law the correct decision was made. Probably not the correct social economic etc well-being environmental decision in the long-term Part 2 looking outside in from a layman’s or enthusiastic amateur’s perspective.
In Hong Kong, Singapore and other place in the World, the planning rules around the Underground Metro station would HAVE A ZONE CHANGE BEFORE THE UNDERGROUND WAS COMPLETED to have shops at ground level, commercial services and office for a couple of levels above that and then high-rise residential apartments.
All NZ councils need to understand Christaller ?.
For K’Rd etc, Come on in Auckland Council for some decent forward planning, leadership and courage, NOT “Strengthening the AUP’ district plan review.
The answer is Simple.
The Minister has the Power to AL OF THIS – by simply changing the Law to enable this either by a new RMA Act, Regulation, a National Policy Statement, Minsterial Directive, or Ministerial Call in or similar powers he has.
Exactly (and agree 100%)
Morning again.
Yes I’m looking at today’s weather and AKL rain. Hopefully it won’t be as bad as the 3 x 1 in 200-year AEP flood events of Anniversary weekend, February and May last year.
FYI etc, the AUP design standards are 1 in 100 years AEP flood events…
But I’m more interested in Nelson’s flooding as I have a client with a job there which is likely to have some periodic inundation today.
And Gisborne and Te Karaka where my family and whanau are from..