Tauranga City Council is proposing to raise the allowable building heights in Mount Maunganui North as part of Plan Change 33. However, submissions on the increased heights in the Mount raised concerns around traffic congestion, air pollution and a lack of infrastructure. Greater building heights and intensification would also impact the “unique character” of the area, submissions said. The commission rejected two of the panel’s recommendations at a council meeting on Monday.

This could be good news for mass timber manufacturing since solutions to the objections presented by the panel could be provided by the use of mass timber manufacturing. The concerns about air pollution could be offset by the sustainability of mass timber. The generally faster construction of mass timber developments would mean fewer disruptions to the community. The cost savings of using mass timber manufacturing would help create affordable housing and finally, the aesthetic of mass timber would add to, rather than take away from, the natural beauty and unique character of the area.

Click here to read the article from NZ Herald.