Appeals against more intensive housing in the Auckland Unitary Plan have been lost.
The High Court has found that the independent panel that heard submissions on the plan acted lawfully when it recommended allowing more intensive housing in suburban areas that were not flagged for intensification in the first draft of the plan.
The decision affects 29,000 homeowners in suburbs including Grey Lynn, Parnell, Orakei, Glendowie and Blockhouse Bay.
Lawyer Richard Brabant, who represented Auckland 2040 and the Character Coalition in the appeal, said a special law governing the way the unitary plan was drawn up meant no further appeals were likely, although lawyers would still consider further judicial review.
"I believe that the council is in a position to bring the parts of the plan relating to those [29,000] properties into effect," he said.
