Compared to the residential growth rate of 2.3% for the whole of Christchurch, during the same five-year period.This increase is seen as a positive sign for Central City revitalisation with a total of 7266 people now resident within the four avenues compared with 5670 ten years ago.

This reasonably strong increase in the number of residents in the Central City has only occurred in the last 10 years. During the 1980s, the resident population of the Central City increased by only 100 people, compared with an increase of 1600 between 1991 and 2001. In contrast, overall resident numbers for Christchurch rose by 6.9% during 1991-1996, including a dramatic 16.3% increase in the Central City. Latest figures show that although overall growth for Christchurch has returned to similar levels to the 1980s, the Central City is currently experiencing higher than average growth.

The nature of residential building activity in the Central City gives an indication of how the Central City has developed to accommodate these additional residents. Nearly all, 1001 out of 1024, of the residential building consents issued between July 1991 and June 2001 were for apartments,multiple unit developments or townhouses.

Building consent applications

During November and December last year, 35 commercial and residential building consent applications for the Central City were received.The most significant of these include:

• Refurbishment of the mall at the corner of Colombo and Cashel Streets (Triangle Centre);
• A structural bridge between buildings – part of the Ballantynes’ refurbishment;
• The construction of a new retail arcade and car park linked to the Lichfield Car Park Building on the corner of Colombo and Lichfield Streets;
• The construction of a new library for Cathedral Grammar School at 20 Chester Street West.

See also: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/centralcity/