A little planning goes a long way

Kiwis who value the vanishing heritage and greenery of many of our towns and cities depend on planners to save it, say Alexandra Bonham and Jessica Rose.

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Planners are in the firing line. In our biggest city this year, council planners have discouraged a large commercial building in a heritage area, opposed the rezoning of rural land for urban development and pushed developers to make design improvements to new apartments, including providing bigger living spaces.

Is this "insanity" - as Housing Minister Chris Bishop branded the rejection by independent planning commissioners of an 11-storey glass building on Karangahape Rd? Almost all planning consent applications are granted by councils. Where they are not, it's usually because planners are trying to deliver what voters want, namely, attractive, nonsprawling cities that haven't lost all their heritage and trees.

Some people love heritage; others see it as an obstacle. There isn't much left but a disproportionate amount is close to public transport, jobs and universities where it could provide more office space, shops and apartments for a growing population.