By ANNE GIBSON
More large-scale state housing estates like those planned for Lynfield and Glen Eden will not be allowed.
Housing Minister Mark Gosche said both those Auckland developments, now criticised by neighbours, were begun under National.
Housing New Zealand had entered into contracts with entrepreneur and developer Arthur Morgenstern's Morningstar Enterprises early last year, he said.
But that was well before Labour came to power. Labour's state housing policy was to disperse state houses, rather than concentrate large developments in one area.
Mr Gosche was responding to a Weekend Herald article on December 2-3 headlined "Marching landlord infuriates suburbia."
"Since coming to office," he said, "we have indicated that these sorts of low-cost, high-density housing developments are not what we favour."
In the past few weeks, he and the board of Housing New Zealand had visited some of the latest state housing acquisitions.
"We discussed the types of housing development this Government would wish to see. We favour a pepper-potting approach and urban renewal of existing Housing New Zealand properties.
"However, in the particular low-cost high-density developments referred to in the article, Housing New Zealand has a legally binding contract with the developer."
He said Housing New Zealand was working with the developer, councils and communities to improve the situation Labour had inherited.
Labour says 'no thanks' to big state housing developments
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