A change is underway, for where and how Aucklanders live

Auckland Council's July housing update shows 90 per cent of the new dwellings consented in May were in urban areas.

62 per cent of those consents were for denser housing types - like apartments and townhouses.

Urban growth and housing director Penny Pirrit says that means the city is starting to move away from sprawling outwards into rural areas, with more people wanting to live close to work, in a low maintenance property.

She says this has been made possible by the council changing the rules to allow more apartment style complexes to be built in urban areas.