City Sales managing director Martin Dunn wants Auckland Council to drop its decree on apartment size.
He lobbied the then Auckland City Council in 2004 when it approved construction of thousands of 36m2 two-bedroom apartments in the CBD.
He claimed it would create ghettos. While his worst fears may not have materialised, the scandalously tiny shoe box apartments and lack of amenities are well tabulated, as well as declines in value.
But he thinks the new amalagamated council has gone too far the other way.
He is not attacking “size” as such, he says.
He applauds the establishment of an urban design panel and a requirement for a mix.
But out of the blue came a decree on size in the unitary plan, he says.
All new builds must measure 35m2 for studios (comparatively large), 45m2 for one-bedroom, 70m2 for two-bedroom, and 90m2 for three-bedroom apartments.
“Given that we need to sell new units at $7000m2 to $9000m2, this means a new studio starts at $280,000, one bedrooms at $360,000, two bedrooms at around $560,000 and three-bedrooms at $720,000.”
Mr Dunn says it is relatively easy to find one-bedroom units of 30m2, two-bedroom units at 50m2 and three-bedroom units at 70m2-plus.
He says this would allow a proliferation of first home buyers to get a foot on the property ladder from around $160,000.
Mr Dunn wants the council to stipulate there should be a mix of suites – preferably studios, one bedroom and two bedroom units.
This would encourage a mix of tenants and owner-occupiers and provide for a degree of pride of ownership, not just absent landlords and their incumbent tenants, Mr Dunn says.