South-West Area Plan consultation to start soon

7 August 2008

Community consultation on the Christchurch City Council’s innovative draft South-West Area Plan will start on Monday 1 September 2008, subject to Council approval at the end of August.

The draft South-West Area Plan is the first Area Plan specifically developed by the Council to sustainably manage development in key areas around the city. The South-West Area spreads from Hornby to Hoon Hay and Halswell, including the lower slopes of the Port Hills.

The Council’s Regulatory and Planning Committee today recommended the Council release the draft plan for public consultation.

Project Leader, and Council Senior Planner Sarah Oliver says community interest in the Area Plan has been strong from the beginning.

“Communities like Halswell are fiercely proud of their own unique identity and expect development to enhance their quality of life,” she said. “At one of our first community meetings more than 500 residents turned up to find out whether the Council planned to protect the qualities that make the South-West area a unique place to live.”

Since the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy identified South-West Christchurch as an appropriate area for future development, the Council has been preparing the Area Plan. Concept plans were taken out for community consultation in August 2007, and received a positive response from stakeholders in the South-West area.

“The issues that attracted the most comments related to road infrastructure, the provision of high-quality functional green spaces, and the location and possible impact of medium-density housing,” Miss Oliver said.

“Based on feedback, we’ve made sure walking, cycling and public transport get the same priority as motor vehicles, and that new subdivisions integrate with existing neighbourhoods to build connected communities.”

Miss Oliver said  reports would be published on the Council website prior to the consultation, allowing residents, landowners and developers time to consider the information Councillors and Council staff had had access to when developing the Area Plan.

In addition to the draft Area Plan, a shorter summary document is being published.  This will be sent to all property owners and interested organisations in the  South-West area, and be available on the website and at Council Service Centres, libraries and other outlets. It will contain a submission form, and people can use it, or the online Have Your Say process, to give feedback.  Consultation will be open for six weeks from the start date.  Feedback will go to the Council’s Regulatory and Planning Committee, and the committee will produce a final plan for the Council to consider.

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