Key Points

• At March 1996 there were 116,111 occupied dwellings in Christchurch (Provisional 1996 Census Results). This was an increase of 8,409 or nearly 8 Percent since 1991.
• Projections suggest there will be around 140,000 households in the City by 2016
• The vast majority of Christchurch dwellings are separate houses.
• 39 percent of private dwellings are owned with a mortgage.
• Nearly a quarter of private dwellings in the City are rented.
• The average number of people living in private households is declining.
• New units or apartments comprised 70 percent of all residential construction between 1991 and 1996.
• Townhouse and apartment living is becoming an increasing part of inner-city Christchurch.
• Since 1991, building activity in rural zones accounted for just under 2 percent of total building activity within the City.
• Between July 1990 and June 1995, 93.3 hectares of rural zoned land was rezoned to urban as a result of Plan changes.
• At June 1996, there was a total of 1,026.5 ha, of vacant residential land available within the City.
• A recent study has shown that the provision of land for urban development, in existing and proposed district plans for Christchurch and neighbouring authorities is inadequate to meet projected needs over the next 10 to 15 years.
• As a result of concerns over the adequacy of residential vacant land stocks, the City Council, surrounding districts and the Canterbury Regional Council are working together to formulate an Urban Development Strategy.