First it was leaky homes; now a stoush is brewing over poky apartments. Planners worry the city of sails - Auckland - risks becoming the city of slums as a building boom throws up more tiny living units in which there's barely room to swing a cat.
Sunday, August 10th 2003, 6:54PM
by The Landlord
Wellington is following the Auckland trend for one-bedroom apartments with floor space of as little as 25sq m and Auckland City Council believes there's a case for bringing back minimum room sizes.
Cramped studios and one-bedroom units are hot property in Auckland commanding prices per square metre that make Remuera houses look cheap. Developers who stand to make $1000 per square metre say they are simply meeting demand from a market that will continue to grow as Auckland's population explodes.
Slick apartment advertising uses appealing graphics promoting young, vibrant New York-like lifestyles and many are biting. Young apartment dwellers who spoke to the Sunday Star-Times see the tiny living spaces as a way onto the property ladder and out of gridlock...
