To find out about medium-density housing in Aotearoa New Zealand - including designing, building and gaining consent for MDH, plus resources and case studies - visit BRANZ's Medium-density housing website. You can access the main areas of this website from the links below.
You should also check out our Seminar: Medium-density housing.
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What is MDH?
The ability of MDH to diversify demographics and accommodate urban growth within existing city limits, while aiming to maintain residents’ quality of life, makes it a viable form of neighbourhood intensification.
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Consents for MDH
Many larger councils in New Zealand have provisions in their district plans for developing more areas of medium-density housing in their districts. MDH requires a building consent and may require a resource consent under the Resource Management Act.
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Designing MDH
The quality of a medium-density housing development depends on the nature of the site and its surroundings, the build budget (or the developer’s expected return) and the intended occupants of the building.
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Regional rules and guidelines for MDH
This provides links to design and planning rules and guidelines related to MDH, organised by region. Not all local authorities are included as they do not have specific MDH rules or guidelines.
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Construction of MDH
Construction stages are critical to the success of buildings. Many standard residential construction techniques and systems apply to multi-unit development, but there are specific aspects related to medium-density housing that require consideration.
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Post-occupancy management and maintenance
Once design and construction are complete, robust management and maintenance processes are crucial to the long-term success of any medium-density housing development. Ideally, managers of the completed MDH should have a voice in the design process.
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