9 Mar 2018

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Now is the time for you to have your say on Christchurch City Council’s plans and priorities for the next 10 years.

The Long Term Plan 2018-28 outlines what we will do and how we will do it, plus how we plan to pay for it all.

We want to get the basics right so repairing our pipes and roads remains a high priority. To prioritise this essential infrastructure work, we are proposing to increase rates by an average of 5.5 per cent in the next financial year, with the increase tracking down in the following years.

Here are our key projects – what we are repairing and building over the next 10 years - and how much they will cost:

  • Transport network, $1049 million: We know the state of our roads is a huge frustration in the city’s recovery. We want to prioritise road repairs. We’re also taking the opportunity to re-design our network of cycleways, footpaths and traffic controls to make it safer for everyone and to reduce traffic congestion. We are expecting a large number of workers to return to the central city. If they all travel in a single occupant vehicle our roads will become more congested.
  • Community Facilities, $835 million: Community facilities are important because they bring people together. We will complete and progress a wide range of projects. Our priorities include social housing, library resources, Ngā Puna Wai sports hub Stage 1 and the Linwood/Woolston pool.
  • Stormwater and flood protection, $678 million: Some parts of Christchurch are more flood-prone. We want to reduce the flood risk to homes and businesses. Whatever goes into our gutters can end up in our rivers so you can help clean up the stormwater.
  • Wastewater, $641 million: Our network of pipes carry water from kitchens and bathrooms. We’ll provide for population growth but put on hold the work to replace wastewater infrastructure to free up funding to improve roads. This means in wet weather there could be more overflows. Is this acceptable?
  • Drinking water, $495 million: We enjoy high quality drinking water. We need to protect this by replacing damaged pipes and ensuring that our well-heads are secure.
  • Parks and heritage, $267 million: We are a city of parks and gardens boasting a network of 130km of walking and mountain bike tracks. We propose to maintain and improve these assets. We plan to delay repairing the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings until 2029 because the project will cost an estimated $204 million.

We are seeking feedback on additional funding of $1.4 million for ChristchurchNZ to create a new fund to attract events, conferences, promote international education and to establish a film office in the city.

Let us know what you think is important.

This is your opportunity to influence the decisions the Council makes, and we need you to tell us if we have got our priorities right. Give your feedback online by 5pm on Friday, 13 April.