Special Housing Area

Special Housing Areas (SHAs) were a tool introduced by the New Zealand government in 2013 to address housing supply shortages. Under the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013, councils could establish accords with the government to create SHAs — areas where qualifying housing developments could be consented through a streamlined process.

In an SHA, qualifying developments could bypass the standard Resource Management Act consenting process. Instead, applications were processed under the more permissive SHA framework, with faster timeframes and a presumption in favour of granting consent. SHAs were particularly significant in Auckland, where dozens of areas were designated.

The SHA regime was time-limited and most accords have now expired. The Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act was largely superseded by changes to the Resource Management Act and the introduction of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development and MDRS. However, developments consented under the SHA framework continue to be built out.

While the SHA framework is no longer actively creating new areas, understanding whether a property or neighbouring land was part of an SHA can help explain the scale and type of recent development in an area.

Note: The Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 was repealed on 16 September 2021. SHAs are no longer being created, though some developments initiated under SHA designations may still be completing.

While new SHAs are no longer being created, existing SHA developments may still be under construction near your property. If a neighbouring site was part of an SHA, a significant housing development may be approved and underway — or yet to commence.

Check whether any SHA developments have been consented near the property you're considering. Large-scale housing developments can affect traffic, privacy, sunlight, and neighbourhood character.

Check the council's website for information on SHAs in your area. In Auckland, the council's GeoMaps tool can show SHA boundaries. The LIM report may reference SHA status. Your lawyer or a planning consultant can advise on any consented SHA developments nearby.

Since the SHA regime has largely wound down, the focus should be on checking for consented-but-not-yet-built developments rather than new SHA designations.