People on the street in Takapuna discuss their opinion of apartments.

Plans for over 1000 new apartments on Auckland's North Shore have left locals uneasy that they're not in the Kiwi spirit.

Forty-five-year-old Veruschka Krafft, who is from Germany but is a New Zealand citizen, said she would not buy an apartment because it was un-Kiwi to not have a house and backyard.

"I consider myself a Kiwi or wanting to have a Kiwi lifestyle and I think an apartment is not what Kiwis would go for, really.

DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ The Rose Garden Apartments in Albany are touted as the biggest residential apartment block in the country.

"I think apartments are being built for foreigners, people from overseas moving into the country, and I don't think it's a Kiwi lifestyle."

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DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ Stage one of the Apollo Apartments in Rosedale is about to open.

​Rebecca Zhang, 39, agreed apartment living was not what attracted her to New Zealand in the first place.

"With the increase in population, they need apartments but, in terms of lifestyle, it's going to be more crowded.

"The reason we live here is because of the laid-back lifestyle. With more apartments, it's going to become more like a city lifestyle," she said.

DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ Veruschka Krafft believes apartments are not the Kiwi way.

Zhang said she would not live in an apartment with her two children.

However, 30-year-old Ro Eastmond lived on Herald Island with a big backyard but said she was considering living in an apartment for the convenience of being close to everything.

"I've always been anti it, but there are so many advantages."

DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ Albert Chang would like to buy an apartment on the Shore.

Albert Chang, 27, from Albany agreed the number of apartments being built on the Shore was increasing and more would be built as the population grew.

"Apartments, I believe, are a good idea, because, as you can see, the house prices are rising a lot. So, I think apartments are one of the best options for people like me."

Chang said he was looking to get an apartment in the near future. He was looking in the Albany area but said an apartment in Takapuna would be his dream.

DENISE PIPER/FAIRFAX NZ Jay Hwang, pictured with daughter Erin, believes apartments are too expensive on the North Shore.

"Takapuna is one of the main areas I would dream of living in: it's a lovely area."

Jay Hwang, 32, said there were not too many apartments being built on the Shore, compared with a lot of international cities.

He wanted to buy an apartment but said they were unaffordable on the Shore.

"I really want to get an apartment but actually they are really expensive as well," Hwang said.

"I wish there were more apartments for us, as well."

AN APARTMENT GLUT?

While there were a lot of apartments being built, Martin Cooper, managing director of Harcourts Cooper & Co Real Estate, did not expect there would be a glut on the market.

"I personally don't believe there will be a glut in apartments on the North Shore because they're in our existing communities."

Cooper admitted there was a glut of apartments in central Auckland about 15 years ago.

But he said the ones being built on the Shore were different because the location was desirable, including for people downsizing.

"In Takapuna, people can work and live their entire life in the same area and they don't have to move out."

'IT'S THE WAY OF THE FUTURE'

The apartments being built on the North Shore include 181 units in Apollo Square, in Rosedale.

The first stage of 55 units, 45 of which were pre-sold, was due to open shortly, said James Zhang, director of developer Rosedale Apartments. Apartments ranged from $600,000 to $1 million.

In Takapuna, 92-unit development the Sargeson was being built on Anzac St, on the site of the four houses renovated in the first season of The Block NZ.

The houses from The Block were all up-cycled and moved to different properties, said Alistair Taylor, business development manager from developer Metro Property.

There was high interest in the Sargeson, due to open in March 2018, with at least 70 per cent already sold, he said.

Many of those buying apartments were downsizing, Taylor said.

"People want lifestyle - they don't want to mow lawns anymore. It's the way of the future."

One-bedroom apartments at the Sargeson were priced from $530,000 and two-bedroom from $795,000.

Another development that was well under way was the Rose Garden Apartments in Albany. Touted as New Zealand's biggest residential apartment block, it included 800 apartments, with 200 in stage one.

Prices for one-bedroom units increased from $450,000 to $500,000, according to reports.

FURTHER APARTMENTS PLANNED

Some of the other apartments planned for the North Shore include: