‘Most dramatic’ changes: Seymour warns suburb amid plans for tower blocks

Friday, 5 September 2025

David Seymour addressed a packed meeting about intensification in Parnell on Friday night.

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour says high-rise apartments make sense near transport hubs like Mt Eden station – but has warned that pushing 15-storey towers into Parnell risks overwhelming Auckland’s infrastructure.

Speaking at a packed public meeting in Parnell on Friday night, Seymour said Auckland Council’s new housing plan would bring to the suburb some of the “most dramatic” changes anywhere in the city, with swathes of the suburb rezoned for buildings up to 15 storeys.

“That is quite a significant uplift in the height of buildings allowed in suburban Parnell,” he told residents. “It’s probably the most dramatic increase anywhere in Auckland.”

Auckland Council is proposing changes to zoning plans for houses, which include allowing for high-rise construction, to enable two million new homes to be built.

Councillors will vote on September 24 whether to keep going with what’s known as Plan Change 78, which allows for three-story, three-house buildings to be put up anywhere, or a revised plan, which incorporates the 10 and 15-storey buildings.

But either option still requires the council to enable the building of two million new homes, an aspiration backed by Housing Minsiter Chris Bishop.

Around 300 concerned residents attended David Seymour’s meeting at a Parnell hotel on Friday night.

There has been uproar in some communities since the plan was announced.

Last week, there was a heated meeting in Mt Eden. This one might have been less confrontational, but people were equally concerned about tower blocks popping up at the bottom of their garden.

Feelings are so strong that after 300 people came to the Parnell meeting on Friday, Seymour decided to hold another one in Remuera on Tuesday.

As the MP for Epsom, which covers both suburbs, he is aware of the local mood, while he also understands what Bishop and the council want to do.

At the meeting, Seymour insisted he was not opposed to more housing supply, provided it was located where infrastructure and demand lined up.

“What’s happening with the City Rail Link, really exciting.” Seymour said.

“I hope it’s going to revitalise our CBD, because we all know it’s needed. But that means it’s going to make sense for people to live around Mt Eden station.

David Seymour was joined at Friday’s meeting by councillor Mike Lee and Auckland Council’s Megan Tyler.

“There’ll be some contention over that, no doubt, but I think most people have seen that that makes some sense.”

Seymour pointed to failures already visible in his electorate – sewage overflows into Hobson Bay, sinkholes and a 120-year-old sewer collapse.

“One of our biggest environmental problems is sewage in Hobson Bay, because we simply have not kept up with the pipes to match the development and intensification we already have along the Newmarket and Remuera ridges,” he said.

After Seymour gave an opening speech, Waitemata and Gulf councillor Mike Lee also spoke out against what’s being proposed.

“People are concerned about their rights to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes and properties, for which they pay a lot,” he said.

“The council seems to be catering to the property market with high-rise zoning on the northern slopes, which will wreck historic suburbs people clearly value.”

This was followed by a question and answer session with these two, plus the council’s chief of strategy, Megan Tyler.

There wasn’t any of the grandstanding or f-bombs seen and heard at the Mt Eden meeting. Questions included: Why does Auckland Council need to come up with two million homes all at once? Why can’t we stick with the 2016 Auckland Unitary plan? What does it mean to live in a residential single house zone? And will my house get overwhelmed by poorly designed, shade-creating houses?

Tyler did her best to answer and explain why zoning decisions had been made. However, it’s debatable whether she won anyone over.

The evening wrapped up with Seymour saying he felt councillors would vote against Plan Change 78 and there would then be a period of consultation

“There will obviously be a window to talk to your councillor and lobby them about your expectations around this,” he said.

“There’ll also be an opportunity in the future to present to the Minister [Bishop] on your behalf, insofar as how you'd like them to use the powers that government policy gives them. Because he has those powers, and you have an interest in how he uses them.”