Description
SAM 22 is in the inner city, in the blocks between Worcester St, Montreal St, Armagh St, and Rolleston Ave.
The majority of buildings in SAM 22 are late Victorian and Edwardian two storey townhouses. The townhouses have weatherboard cladding and pitched hip and gable corrugated iron roofs. They have a simple overall form generally rectangular, square or L shaped. Some have simple verandas. The eaves are mostly very narrow.
The buildings are set back from the front boundary by between 3m and 15m. Most of the front gardens have large established trees and other plantings that frame the houses. Most fences are less than 1.5m high and allow the houses to be seen clearly from the road.
Designing within this character
New buildings in SAM 22 should be designed to work with this character, rather than imitate it. When designing new buildings, consider the orientation of adjoining buildings to the street, and the distance they are setback from the road boundary. The use of strong simple forms for the overall building shape that are similar in scale and height to the existing buildings will maintain this character. Sudden changes in roofline, colour, and building shape can break up the consistency of the streetscape. This disrupts the existing harmony between buildings within the SAM, the surrounding heritage buildings, and the park.
The type of material, style and ornamentation and texture used for the façade of the new building should reflect that of the existing buildings without necessarily copying them. Look at how different materials can add to the character of the area, and how a current building method can achieve this.
Also consider the way that the existing buildings, and their windows and doors face the street. The placement of garages in the front yard can be visually detrimental and should be avoided.
City Plan rules
SAM 22 is in a Living 4C zone in the City Plan. The Plan contains a set of rules that regulate the way sites can be developed. There are two rules, additional to the standard L4C rules, that apply to SAM 22. These rules acknowledge the area as having specific qualities that should be retained. They are:
- External appearance - a resource consent is required when an alteration to the external appearance of an existing building, or a new building, is proposed in SAM 22, that can be seen from a public place such as the street.
- Road setback (street scene) - road setback is the distance that a building must be set back from the front boundary. Buildings are required to be set back a certain distance because of the impact that the proximity of buildings to the street has on the overall character of the street. The road setback in SAM 22 is 4.5m
If you are considering altering the external appearance of a building in SAM 22 and you need a resource consent it is recommended that you seek advice from the Urban Design – Strategy and Planning Group of the Christchurch City Council, before submitting your application.
Protected buildings, places and objects
A. Two storey residence Christ's College
B. 'Flowers House' Christ's College
C. Single storey wooden colonial cottage
D. 'Rolleston House' Christ's College
E. 'Orari' residence
F. YHA Hostel
G. Two storey wooden colonial residence
H. Single storey villa
I. Single storey villa
J. Single storey villa
K. Two storey wooden residence
Protected trees
L. Common Ash (
Fraxinus excelsior)
M. Southern Magnolia (
Magnolia grandiflora)
Date: April 2001
