Stuart Donovan joins major Marsden-funded study on housing upzoning

Mar 14, 2026

Who benefits when cities allow more housing? A new research project aims to answer that question — and Motu Research’s Senior Fellow Stuart Donovan will help with the analysis.

Researchers at the University of Auckland have received a Marsden Fund grant to investigate the social and economic effects of large-scale zoning reforms in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project will examine the effects of upzoning (i.e. adopting planning rules that allow for more housing) on individuals.
 
The team, led by Associate Professor Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy and Peter C. B. Phillips, will study Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan. Introduced in 2016, the plan upzoned about three-quarters of Auckland’s residential land. Research has found the Unitary Plan sparked a surge in housing construction while easing pressure on rents.
 
But a key question remains: who ultimately gains from these changes?
 
Motu's Stuart Donovan will contribute to the project’s analytical work. He will help collate data, estimate models and translate the research findings into practical policy advice for decision-makers.
 
The research team will analyse how zoning reform reshapes neighbourhoods — including if upzoning helps individuals access high-opportunity areas or, alternatively, deepens existing inequalities.
 
Understanding these effects matters. Where people live influences education, employment and life chances. Robust evidence can help governments adopt housing policies that expands opportunity.
 
Marsden Grants are among the most prestigious and competitive research awards in Aotearoa. Each year the fund supports a small number of projects judged to have the greatest potential to advance knowledge.
 
For Motu Research, contributing to this work aligns closely with our mission: produce rigorous evidence and turn it into insights that help policymakers make better decisions.
 
As Aotearoa continues to reform its housing system, this project will provide timely evidence on how upzoning shapes cities and affects people on the ground — and how policy can ensure the benefits are widely shared.