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City Plan Process Reaches Final Stage
Decisions as to where industry and housing can go, in-filling and environmental preservation are determined by the zoning scheme adopted in the Christchurch City Plan.
In 1989 the "new" City was put together as an amalgamation of five previous local authorities. From 1991 to 1995 the Council worked on a completely new plan under the Resource Management Act. Consultation took place with a range of groups during this period. The plan was then put to the community as a package. Over 4000 submissions were received and the process allows further submissions to allow the community to respond to submissions of other groups and individuals.
The issues raised by submissions will be considered in a series of hearing meetings which started on 7 October this year. The meetings will allow detailed consideration of all the submissions on a topic by topic basis, running over the next two years.
Two panels will operate in parallel. Panel One is considering general objectives and policies until Christmas, before moving on to residential densities, followed by urban growth later in the year. Panel Two will be considering health and safety provisions up to Christmas (noise, glare hazardous substances) followed next year by rural and business issues and utilities.
All hearings are open to the public.
For more information contact: David Punselie 941 8527
Local councils are joining forces to prepare an urban development strategy for Christchurch.
Christchurch needs to make some critical decisions about its future, and other councils need to be involved.
The City Council initiated discussions with the Canterbury Regional Council and Waimakariri, Hurunui, Selwyn and Banks Peninsula District Councils last August in response to continuing population growth and development pressure in the City. Councils agreed that a collaborative approach was needed to manage Christchurch's growth.
Christchurch has been reaping the benefits of long term planning carried out in the late 60s and 70s, but the time has come to create a vision to take this City and surrounding region into the 21st century. There are no easy solutions. If the present poulation growth rate of just under two per cent per annum, and even higher growth in the number of dwellings continues, it will be difficult to absorb this increase without significantly changing the environment in some parts of the City. Christchurch is surrounded by natural and physical resources that are highly valued by the community - good soils, the Port Hills, recreational areas and Christchurch International Airport. Add to this areas within the Waimakariri flood plain and future options for expansion are very limited. Increasing densities in existing residential areas can also cause significant problems.
It is critical that we start putting the infrastructure in place now. We need to consider what sort of transport system this City needs. Such as high quality public transit systems as an alternative to more pressure on roads. One possibility is to develop a light rail system using the existing rail network.
The joint committee will be asked by the City Council to coordinate a community consultation strategy to ensure that as many people as possible contribute to the debate -and the solutions. Residents should look out for more information in 1997.
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The Christchurch City Council City Design
Unit and Fulton Hogan Civil won an award for the Christchurch Tram tracks. The award, from the Cement and Concrete Associations of New Zealand and Australia, was the "In-Situ Paving Award" for use of materials to produce an elegant functional project that "adds to the beauty and character of Christchurch!" This prize recognises one of many intitiatives where Council and business are working together for the City. |
| Mainzeal Construction approached the Council
about brightening up their building site in Cashel Street. The Christchurch City Council got together with four schools, who then came up with designs for murals. Levenes provided the paint and the Mainzeal mural was born. |
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