Section sizes are continuing to shrink and three houses per quarter acre dream is a possibility as the city looks for solutions to the its housing squeeze.

Hamilton City Council has two plan changes out for public consultation - Plan Change 6 and Plan Change 11 - both of which look to cram more houses into the same space at a faster pace.

It comes as the 2019 Waikato Plan housing stocktake identified a shortage in the city of 4000 houses, making up more than half the 7500 housing shortfall across the Waikato region.

At the current average of 1200 houses per year, the backlog in supply won't be met for more than three years but the 2043 target, where the city will need another 26,231 houses according to the report, should be met under that average.

So as long as the buildings comply, a resource consent will not be needed. Under the same rule change, duplexes can be built on rear sections.

And Plan Change 11 will reduce the minimum section size for a single unit from 400sqm to 300sqm in the residential zone.

Read the full article on stuff.co.nz here