National pledges to remove Auckland's ban on minimum car parking

The National Party has released an Auckland election manifesto promising to remove the blanket ban on minimum car parking requirements in city and district plans. If re-elected, the party intends to allow councils to set minimum parking requirements in suburban neighbourhoods, greenfield subdivisions, and business or industrial parks. These requirements would not apply to areas identified for intensification, such as city centres or locations near rapid transit stations.

Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop stated that the current ban has not worked because the economic theory behind it failed to account for the reality of New Zealand's suburban streets. He noted that many Auckland streets are clogged, forcing people to park on footpaths and berms, with some residents walking ten minutes or more to reach their homes.

The policy reverses a 2020 Labour-era reform that abolished these requirements to encourage urban intensification and reduce car dependency. While the manifesto includes this new commitment, much of the document repackages existing policies such as funding for Mill Road, the Eastern Busway, and dedicated transport police.

Critics, including Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter, have warned that mandated parking could increase housing costs and make some developments unviable. Property developer Mark Todd described the proposal as a "step backwards" that would make housing more scarce and unaffordable.

Where reports differ

• Reports differ on the timing of the announcement, with some stating it occurred on Wednesday morning and others stating Tuesday morning

Compiled from reports by 1News, The Post, NZ Herald, Stuff and RNZ.