More than 120 residents packed the Grey Lynn Community Centre on Saturday evening, voicing strong opposition to proposed plan changes that could see heritage villas in Arch Hill rezoned for medium-density housing. The proposed Auckland Unitary Plan variation, PC78, would reclassify parts of Arch Hill from Single House Zone to Mixed Housing Urban, potentially allowing apartment blocks of up to four storeys on streets currently lined with character villas dating back to the early 1900s.
'This neighbourhood has soul'
Longtime resident Margaret Chen, who has lived on Ivanhoe Road for 32 years, said the proposal threatened the very identity of the suburb. 'Arch Hill isn't just bricks and timber — it's a community that has been built over generations,' she told the meeting. The Arch Hill Residents' Association has commissioned an independent heritage assessment, which identified 47 properties of significant heritage value within the affected zone, including several that pre-date the 1886 subdivision of the original Arch Hill estate.
Council responds
Auckland Council planning manager David Hughes said the plan change was part of the city's response to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development, which requires councils to enable greater housing density near rapid transit stops. 'We understand these are sensitive areas, and we're committed to ensuring heritage values are properly considered in the process,' Hughes said in a statement. The public submission period closes on 28 March, with hearings expected to begin in May.
