University of Auckland researchers have secured an NZD$853,000 Marsden Fund grant to study the socioeconomic impacts of large-scale zoning reforms, including Auckland’s Unitary Plan.
The research team, led by Associate Professor Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy and Distinguished Professor Peter Phillips, aims to determine whether housing intensification has widened or reduced inequality across communities.
The study comes at a critical time as New Zealand continues to implement significant housing reforms.
Auckland’s 2016 reform upzoned approximately three-quarters of its residential land, allowing medium and high-density housing in areas previously restricted to single-house zones.
“Where we live and grow up matters for a variety of life outcomes,” Associate Professor Greenaway-McGrevy said, “so it’s important to think about how zoning reform can change the geography of opportunity.”
Previous research by Associate Professor Greenaway-McGrevy and colleagues, also funded by the Marsden Fund, found that Auckland’s reforms successfully boosted housing construction and helped ease rental pressures.
However, the broader socioeconomic effects remain unclear.
The researchers will examine whether intensification has made previously exclusive neighbourhoods more accessible or if it has potentially exacerbated existing inequalities.
This question has significant implications for housing policy nationwide.
Associate Professor Greenaway-McGrevy said that while upzoning has increased housing supply, understanding who benefits most from these changes is essential for future policy development.
The research will provide valuable insights into how zoning reforms affect neighbourhood composition and social mobility.
“On the one hand, the potential for upzoning to exacerbate inequalities within cities raises real concerns. On the other, widespread reforms may also enable housing options in neighbourhoods that were previously inaccessible to many households,” Associate Professor Greenaway-McGrevy said.
The study is particularly significant because large-scale zoning reforms have been relatively rare globally, making New Zealand’s experience an important case study for international housing policy.
The findings could influence how cities worldwide approach housing intensification.
The researchers will analyse data from across New Zealand, with a focus on Auckland’s Unitary Plan implementation.
Their work will provide evidence-based insights into how upzoning affects different demographic groups and neighbourhoods.
