The Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act was enacted in December 2021. This introduced the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS), which are aimed at increasing housing supply and choice across our largest urban areas by enabling the development of three homes, of up to 12m in height, on each site. To encourage well-functioning and high quality housing, MfE commissioned a National Medium Density Design Guide. The guide particularly focuses on small-scale property owner/developers or those with limited experience in the design and delivery of medium density residential development. In the development of the guide MfE undertook targeted engagement; UDF was included in that engagement. A copy of UDF’s submission is here. The guide was finalised and made available on 31 May 2022 https://environment.govt.nz/publications/national-medium-density-design-guide/. We encourage UDF members to become familiar with the guide and promote its use to residential developers (of all scales), when applying the MDRS, to achieve the best possible outcomes for our urban areas.
