North Dunedin Spatial Plan

What is the North Dunedin Spatial Plan Project?

The aim of the North Dunedin Spatial Plan Project is to ensure there will be enough housing of the right types to meet everyone’s needs over the next 30 years, to enhance students’ experiences while living and studying in Dunedin.

The project focuses on the area between Dunedin Hospital and the Botanic Gardens, shown on the map below. However, the project is also likely to touch on student housing outside this area, and rental housing across North Dunedin and in surrounding suburbs.

The project has two key goals:

(1) Understanding if existing housing (and capacity for new housing) in North Dunedin will meet demand over the next 30 years. This will include looking at:

1. Expected growth in student numbers
2. What types of housing students want
3. The North Dunedin housing market, including any barriers to development

(2) Developing options to meet demand for new housing, including:

1. Which areas should retain their existing character
2. Where more intensive development should be encouraged (for example taller townhouses or apartments)
3. What land use planning changes or infrastructure projects are required
4. Any other options to address barriers to development.

The DCC will not be funding or building new housing as part of the project, but the results will help inform future land use and infrastructure planning for North Dunedin. Specifically, the results will inform an update to DCC’s housing capacity assessment, which will be completed later this year, and the DCC’s water services strategy and long term plan (10 year plan) in 2027.

Project stages

The project is being undertaken in four key stages and is scheduled to be completed by December 2026.

Stakeholder engagement and data analysis

The stakeholder engagement and data analysis phase involves gathering and analysing information from interviews, surveys, and existing data (including land values, rents, sales prices, building numbers, ages and conditions, etc).

This phase also includes engaging with a range of stakeholders, including:

• Tertiary education providers
• Landowners
• Developers
• Real estate agents
• Students
• Design and planning professionals

Engagement primarily involves key stakeholder interviews and questionnaires sent to students, developers and landowners.

All questionnaires have now closed.

Options Development

In this phase, we will consider the findings from the stakeholder engagement and data analysis and identify options to respond to those findings. Options may include changes to planning rules, new infrastructure projects or changes to the design or timing of infrastructure projects.

How will the results be used?

We will present the results to Council later in 2026, along with recommendations on any changes needed, and Councillors will decide on next steps.

The results will help inform future planning and development in North Dunedin through development of the Regional Spatial Plan (2027/2028). They will also help inform an update to DCC’s housing capacity assessment, which will be completed later this year, and the DCC’s water services strategy and long term plan (10 year plan) in 2027.

Project area

Who can I contact if I need more information?

For enquiries about this project, please email districtplan@dcc.govt.nz , or phone 03 477 4000 and ask to speak to a member of the City Development team about the North Dunedin Spatial Plan project

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