The Christchurch City Council is considering the long-term future of the undeveloped blocks of land on the city side of Russley Road between Memorial Avenue, Avonhead Park and Hawthornden/Withells Roads (refer map). It is doing this through the development of an Area Plan.

The Area Plan is being undertaken by the City Council in response to appeals to the Environment Court against its decision in 1999 to retain rural zoning in the Proposed City Plan over the land to the west of Hawthornden Road. It is also in response to proposed lowdensity residential zoning over the land between Hawthornden and Withells roads.The Proposed City Plan is the City Council’s document for the management of land use and subdivision within the city.

Area plans cover large areas of land and take a medium to long-term planning view. This area plan will look at things like community aspirations for the land, airport noise issues, provision of services (water supply, sewerage and storm water disposal), effects on groundwater, future roading patterns, environmental values (including open space) and urban design and amenity issues.

The Memorial-Hawthornden-Russley Area Plan will form the basis for any future change to the Proposed City Plan, if rezoning the subject land from rural to urban is determined to be appropriate.

It will also determine to what extent rezoning should occur and outline the timing and pattern of any development.

Input from the community is a crucial part of the plan’s development. The City Council will seek input from landowners, occupiers, and interest groups/ organisations in the near future and the wider community over the coming months.

• For more information, call Senior Planner Janine Sowerby on 941 8814 or Planner Glenda Dixon on 941 6203.