Refining urban design governance: an investigation of the urban design assessment processes in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This article investigates the urban design decision-making processes within Aotearoa New Zealand. It analyses the documents and terminologies in urban design assessments of residential developments and maps the professions that prepare them. It draws data from four cities: Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, and Christchurch. The findings reveal a core of referenced documentation but uncertainty regarding supplementary documents, a variety of terminologies, and a range of expertise and qualifications of those preparing the assessments. These findings suggest that further guidance and prescribed professional standards are desirable to refine the governance of the urban design sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.