The Medium Density Residential Standards in New Zealand

A 2022 overview of New Zealand's Medium Density Residential Standards, retained as historical context with an updated note on subsequent planning reforms.

Published:
September 29, 2022
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Update, September 2026: This article was originally written in 2022 and describes the Medium Density Residential Standards as they applied at that time. The national planning framework has since changed. MDRS are now optional for Auckland and Christchurch under the 2025 Resource Management amendments, while wider replacement of the MDRS is part of ongoing resource-management reform. In Auckland, the current planning process also includes Plan Change 120. Treat the material below as historical context and confirm the current rules for your property before relying on it.

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Original 2022 overview

If you live in New Zealand, you may have heard of the Medium Density Residential Standards introduced through the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021. This article explains the framework as it stood when originally published and sits within a wider conversation about designing better infill homes for urban New Zealand.

For current project decisions, always check the operative planning provisions for the specific property and council area.