Our Space 2018-2048 Greater Christchurch Settlement Pattern

The Council is part of the Greater Christchurch Partnership. The Partnership has released a draft Our Space 2018-2048 Greater Christchurch Settlement Pattern Update for public consultation.

The draft document outlines land use and development proposals to ensure there is sufficient development capacity for housing and business growth across Greater Christchurch to 2048. It complement the existing Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS). Our Space 2018-2048 has been prepared in order to satisfy the requirement to produce a future development strategy, outlined in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity.

What does Our Space 2018-2048 do?

Our Space 2018-48:

• Identifies preferred locations for housing growth, encouraging central city and suburban centre living while providing for township growth in other centres, especially Rolleston, Rangiora and Kaiapoi.
• Outlines the housing trends that are expected to influence demand, with more people renting and fewer people in each household, linked to affordability issues and an aging population.
• Identifies the role planning can play in encouraging smaller, more affordable homes and in increasing the supply of attractive mid-priced townhouses and apartments in the central city, around key centres and along core transport corridors.
• Commits councils to working with housing providers to increase the supply of social and affordable housing across Greater Christchurch.
• Reinforces the role of key centres, especially the central city, in providing additional retail and office floor space, and the wider local services and facilities that people need near to where they live to encourage active (walking/cycling) and public transport.

Why is Our Space 2018-2048 needed?

Greater Christchurch is identified as a high growth urban area in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity. Councils in Greater Christchurch (Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council, Waimakariri District Council and Environment Canterbury) are required to produce a future development strategy that demonstrates that there will be sufficient, feasible development capacity over the medium and long term.

The Councils have chosen to work collaboratively, through the Greater Christchurch Partnership, to prepare Our Space 2018-2048, recognising the interconnectedness of urban areas and transport networks across Greater Christchurch.

Next steps

After consultation has closed we will:

• collate and analyse all the submissions received

• present the information to a hearings panel made up of governance representatives from the Partnership’s joint committee
• arrange hearings so that submitters can speak to the panel in support of their submission. Hearings are scheduled to be held in late February 2019.
• have a hearings panel report its recommendations for the finalised plan to the Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee for approval
• inform submitters of the decision and any changes to the plan

How to find out more and make a submission

• View the Our Space 2018-2048 Greater Christchurch Settlement Pattern Update document by visiting the Greater Christchurch Partnership website(external link)
• Make a submission using the online submission form(external link) or posting submissions to: Our Space consultation, Greater Christchurch Partnership, PO Box 73012, Christchurch 8154.
• View a hard copy of the draft document at Christchurch City Council Civic Offices, Selwyn District Council Offices, Waimakariri District Council Offices, Environment Canterbury Offices, or libraries and other services centres in Christchurch City, Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts.
• Read more information about Our Space 2018-2048 and the supporting information that has informed the draft document at www.greaterchristchurch.org.nz/ourspace(external link)

Talk to the team

Public Drop-in sessions have been organised across Greater Christchurch for:

Monday 12 November - Rangiora drop-in: Rangiora Town Hall, 5.00-7.00pm

Tuesday 13 November - Kaiapoi drop-in: Kaiapoi Service Centre, 5.00-7.00pm

Wednesday 14 November - Rolleston drop-in: Council Offices, 3.30-6.30pm

Thursday 22 November – Christchurch drop-in: Function Room, Civic Offices, 5.30-7.30pm

These sessions may be subject to change. Please check the Partnership website to confirm these drop-in sessions.