STEPS Submissions on Auckland Plan Change 120

September 25th, 2026

STEPS has been working with several groups across Meola catchment for months, including: Cabbage Tree Swamp Incorporated (CTSI), Character Coalition, South Epsom -Three Kings Planning Group, Balmoral Residents Association, Eden Kingsland Society, neighbourhood groups around Morningside, Haverstock-Kitchener Roads, and other locations.

  • Meola is the largest catchment on the Auckland isthmus. – 15.6 square kilometres.
  • “Albert-Eden (AELB) is the most urbanised local board in the Auckland Region.”
  • AELB has one of the lowest number of parks per capita.
  • Meola Catchment is a flood prone catchment, with far less infrastructure than most other Auckland urban catchments. It was one of the most damaged catchments in the 2023 floods.
Half of AELB’s land lies in Meola Catchment.

We have all met with Councillors, AELB, and Council Officers but have heard no plans for stormwater. After we all presented to AELB, the board recommended a Meola Catchment Management Plan when reporting back to Auckland Council.

The blue networks are stormwater pipes. Meola catchment is centre left in grey, with few pipes around either Owairaka or Maungawhau.
East of Gribblehirst Park are properties showing as “high hazard” and “very high hazard”

Plan Change 120 will approximately double the potential number of new residences in Meola catchment, since Government Legislation mandated intensification around our four railway stations . Maungawhau, Kingsland, Morningside and Baldwin.

STEPS is seeking some “Making Space for Water Blue Green Networks” which have been built elsewhere since the 2023 floods. Meola Creek needs increased carrying capacity for floods, but once again Meola dropped off Council’s Blue-Green funding list.

We also ask that prior to intensification, a “Whole of Meola Catchment Management Plan” is developed, and a flood-mitigation strategy implemented. We propose that PC 120 zoning does not preclude daylighting of Meola Creek, and would encourage Council to proceed with it as outlined here.

Read STEPS public submission by downloading September 2026 here: and December 2025 here.