Latest news with #KarangahapeRoad
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
City Rail Link: Govt clears way for taller buildings around stations
The area around the forthcoming CRL stations will have greater housing and development under new government rules. Photo: Supplied The government will force Auckland Council to allow apartments of at least 15 storeys around three key train stations - more than double the six storeys first required. The City Rail Link (CRL) is nearing completion and will have four new stations, two in the city centre, one near Karangahape Road and one in Mt Eden. Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown today said the government will require Auckland to allow even greater housing and development around CRL stations. "The City Rail Link is a game-changing investment in the future of Auckland. It will unlock significant economic opportunity, but only if we have a planning system to allow businesses and residents to take advantage of it," Brown said. "City Rail Link is a more than $5 billion investment in Auckland's continued growth. Enabling greater housing intensification along this corridor will help us maximise the benefits of this investment and provide more homes in a city geared up for growth." It follows a recent announcement that the council and government had reached an agreement to free up more land for housing, particularly around key train stations. The Resource Management (Consenting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill allows Auckland Council to withdraw its intensification plan change, PC78, with a requirement to notify a new plan change by 10 October this year - the upzoning announced today will be included in that. The Bill requires Auckland to allow for greater density around the key stations of Maungawhau (Mt Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside. Bishop said currently the council has to allow a minimum six storeys around these stations. "The government has decided that these requirements, while a step forward, don't go far enough." He said the government will move an amendment to the Bill at the Committee of the Whole House stage, which will: Bishop said it was important to unlock housing capacity around public transport in Auckland. "Both Mt Albert and Baldwin stations are ripe for development, sitting close to Unitec's campus and Mt Albert's popular shops and cafes. Increasing development capacity in the area will allow for more commuters and more students to live close to the stations, adding vibrance to these suburbs. The council recently approved a zoning change for the city centre to allow unlimited building heights for a small section of the central business district and double height limits for the rest of the city centre to 20 storeys, or 72.5 metres. It expects that will allow four times the number of homes and businesses to be built in the central city . Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said once the Bill is passed, the council will get on with allowing intensification. "We've now fixed the city centre and rapid transport corridors, and I look forward to working with the government to make sure we deliver growth in the right places for the rest of the region," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
14-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Youth-led Hīkoi highlights Auckland homelessness crisis says advocate
About 100 people marched on the footpath from Karangahape Road to downtown Auckland. Photo: Kick Back / Aaron Hendry A youth advocate says the turnout at a hīkoi to highlight youth homelessness in Auckland CBD clearly shows the pain and trauma young people are experiencing. Co-founder and manager of youth development organisation Kick Back, Aaron Hendry, said about 100 people marched on the footpath from Karangahape Road to downtown Auckland after noon Saturday. He said the hīkoi was organised by youth who had or still experienced homelessness. "Many young people in our community have been denied emergency housing, are couch surfing, living in hostels and in unsafe living environments, because this government and successive governments have not invested in a clear strategy to end youth homelessness. "This is them standing up and saying, 'We have a voice, we are going to use it'." Kick Back was actively monitoring 140 young people in the city, who do not have stable housing - some as young as 11 years old. Hendry said marching on the footpath instead of the road was a way of recognising where many had slept rough. "Young people denied shelter because of government decisions around emergency housing had to sleep on Karangahape Road or Queen Street. Youth protestors wave flags during a hīkoi to highlight youth homelessness in Auckland CBD. Photo: Kick Back / Aaron Hendry "They are taking the street back and saying, 'This is where you left us, this is not a place for any child or young person to live'." He said Labour MPs Shanan Halbert and Kieran McAnulty, and Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March participated in the march. Auckland councillor and mayoral candidate Kerrin Leoni also attended. "Central government have taken quite a lot of money away from homeless initiatives and it is a real concern for our city," Leoni said. "There are multiple issues young homeless people are experiencing and hearing a story of a suicide today is heart-breaking, as a leader of this city, to know this is happening in the wealthiest and biggest city of our country. She said, if elected mayor, she would work with community housing and poverty action groups to find ways Auckland Council could help. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- RNZ News
Karangahape Road shooting suspect pleads not guilty
Karangahape Road (file) Photo: 123RF The man charged after a shooting on Auckland's Karangahape Road has pleaded not guilty. Police were called at about 3.50am on Sunday morning to reports of several shots fired on the inner city street , injuring two people. Police arrested the 21-year-old accused a short time later. He appeared in Auckland District Court on Monday morning before Judge David Sharp, facing firearms charges as well as two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and a charge of possessing cocaine. The man's lawyer entered not guilty pleas to all charges on his behalf. His supporters were in court, and shouted "chur bro" at the accused as he stood in the dock. "I know you're pleased to see your whanau but you've just got to take it easy," Sharp said in response. The man was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody, expected to reappear in court in August. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
24-05-2025
- RNZ News
Man arrested, people hurt after shots fired on Auckland's Karangahape Rd
Police said the victims required medical treatment due to injuries on their leg and foot. Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen A 21-year-old man is facing firearms charges after a shooting in central Auckland overnight. Police said they found two people injured after several shots were fired on Karangahape Road shortly before 4am on Sunday. They said the victims required medical treatment due to injuries on their leg and foot. A gun and the person believed to be responsible was found a short time later, police said. A 21-year-old man was arrested and was due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday on serious injury and firearms-related charges. Police said they wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed what happened - contact them online or call 105, quoting file number 250525/0369. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'The Pink Hoodz' lending a helping hand to those sleeping rough on Auckland's Karangahape Road
Auckland's Karangahape Road. Photo: 123RF People wearing pink hoodies will soon lend a helping hand to those sleeping rough on Auckland's Karangahape Road. An organisation trying to prevent youth homelessness, Kick Back Make Change, was training a small group of volunteers it called The Pink Hoodz. Kick Back co-founder and manager Aaron Hendry said The Pink Hoodz would walk up and down the street, giving out food and connecting those who need it with emergency housing and other support services. He said the community was taking matters into their own hands to address the recent spike in homelessness in the city after feeling failed by the government . "The Pink Hoodz is about us as a community recognising no one is coming to save us. "We are the ones we have been waiting for, we can come together, get organised, and start responding to this rise that is so evident on our streets and do what we can to serve and care for this community." He said dozens of people expressed interest in joining the Pink Hoodz at a hui held last month. Since opening their service The Front Door on Karangahpae Road in July 2024, Hendry said children - the youngest being nine - had come to them needing food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare. He said they were currently monitoring over 130 youths across the city. "Kids as young as nine or 11-years-old are sleeping rough and in really dangerous situations. "We're concerned about their safety, physical health, and in some cases their lives with mental health being a really big issue." He said government decisions were "increasing poverty and inequality in society". "No government has done enough to curb this crisis but now it's esculating. "Recent policy announcements: no cause evictions, mandating Kāinga Ora to be tougher in their evictions process , and changes to emergency housing and welfare reforms are leading to more people being on the street." He said The Pink Hoodz would first launch on Karangahape Road with plans to expand across the city when possible. Auckland Central MP and Green Party Co-Leader Chlöe Swarbrick, who was involved in the project from its inception, said the community recognised a clear need, particularly heading into the colder months. "Our community is confronted with the consequences of political decisions and we have to grapple with it and that's why The Pink Hoodz have come about. "Unfortunately we don't have government resources to do this because the government has decided not to help, in fact they're making it worse. But we are going to do absolutely everything we can to support the people who turn up in our neighbourhood." She said Housing Minister Tama Potaka received a briefing from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in December that visible homelessness was increasing. "A month later, in January of this year, the Prime Minister stood up knowing full well their decisions had made homelessness worse and told the country to celebrate them marking a 75 percent reduction in people in emergency housing, all the while more people were on the streets. "This government has shown its disdain for people experiencing hardship and is making intentional decisions that it knows will increase that hardship." A spokesperson for Housing Minister Tama Potaka's office defended celebrating emergency housing reductions. "We continue to improve our information and know the vast majority of people - about 85 percent - leaving emergency housing are going into better homes. "Since last April when we introduced the Priority One category, prioritising whānau with tamariki who have been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or more, we have supported more than 2000 children and their whānau into better homes. "Emergency housing remains available as a temporary last resort for people in genuine need and there is a whole range of other housing support services available. "The previous administration allowed emergency housing numbers to balloon out of control and they only knew where about 50 percent were going, which simply wasn't good enough." On social media, Kick Back shared that Potaka recently visited them where he heard from young people experiencing homelessness. Swarbrick hoped The Pink Hoodz initiative would provide a model organisations across the country could use. Those interested in volunteering were encouraged to contact the Kick Back team on Instagram or Facebook. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
