The Lyttelton Master Plan is the result of a close partnership between the Council, Banks Peninsula Community Board, other organisations and the highly motivated and socially connected local community.

An artist's impression of the redeveloped Albion Square.

Lyttelton Master Plan [PDF, 3.3 MB].

Lyttelton fulfils an important service centre role for the other communities around Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour. 

Lyttelton’s land-based transport links, commercial centre, community facilities, heritage buildings and character were severely affected by the 22 February 2011 earthquake and warranted the preparation of a master plan to guide its recovery and rebuild. 

The process to identify stakeholders, key issues, community aspirations and develop the Lyttelton Master Plan began in April 2011. After technical workshops and community consultation, the master plan was endorsed by the Community Board before being adopted by the Council in June 2012.

Vision, goals and actions

The Lyttelton Master Plan contains a strategic vision to transform Lyttelton into a quality place for businesses to operate in, and people to work, live, shop, socialise and play.

The vision is supported by nine goals, which are to be delivered through thirty-one detailed implementation actions. These encourage Council, private sector, community and government-led decision-making to align and move forward together in a logical sequence. 

The vision, goals and actions are described in detail in Section 4 of the Lyttelton Master Plan [PDF, 3.3 MB].

Progress on implementation of actions

In the years following the adoption of the Lyttelton Master Plan, actions have been implemented where possible. The context for these continues to change and this has influenced decisions by the Council, other organisations and private individuals.

Progress on implementation of Lyttelton Master Plan actions can be viewed below, under the themes with which each action aligns:

Current projects

Build environment

  • (B4) Identify and assist in the retention of remaining built heritage:  The owner of the British Hotel is undertaking a general fire and seismic upgrade, including a new external staircase on its north side, and alterations. In March 2023, the Council introduced the Lyttelton Residential Heritage Area, as one of 11 Residential Heritage Areas (RHAs) publicly notified as part of  Plan Changes 13 and 14 to the Christchurch District Plan. RHAs seek to collectively protect buildings and features of significance to the city's heritage and identity. The Lyttelton RHA covers most of the residential township but excludes commercial, industrial and port-zoned land. The proposed heritage provisions had immediate legal effect from the time of public notification. The decision in Plan Change 14 was for the protection of RHAs to be heard in Plan Change 13, and for the extent of the Lyttelton area to be reviewed and findings reported to the Council in April 2025, prior to the Plan Change 13 hearing planned for May/June 2025. More information(external link)(external link).

Community wellbeing, culture and heritage

  • (C2) Investigation for and use of Council property to accommodate community and cultural activities: ChristchurchNZ has completed preliminary work to consider options for the future use of the former stables on Donald Street. Work to date has included site investigations (including infrastructure, geotechnical, structural and archaeological assessments), development feasibility, options assessment and consideration of potential uses for the site based on identified community and market demand and commercial feasibility testing. The outcome suggests there is a potential approach to development, but the site poses significant challenges which will require further work to address. 
  • (C6) Naval Point amenity improvements and redevelopment: Demolition of the majority of the Magazine Bay Marina has been completed and works started to make the structure safe for public access and use. The Council has begun construction of the new change pavilion, to be completed for the start of the winter rugby and football season in May 2025. Site planning work has begun ahead of the future marine infrastructure design and consenting, to include a new hand launch ramp, public ramp and rock revetment works. Council staff are also working with Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke on site planning and cultural design opportunities, including the location of a future Wharewaka. More information(external link)(external link).

Natural environment

  • (N6) Local landscape and heritage interpretation: Assisted by the Council’s gifting of the site in 2017, the Lyttelton Historical Museum Society obtained Resource Consent for its museum rebuild in April 2023, the fund-raising for which has commenced. More information(external link)(external link).

Completed actions

Built environment (B)

  • (B1) Rebuild and recovery-supportive amendments to the Proposed Banks Peninsula District Plan: The Council made recovery-supportive provisions in the Christchurch District Plan operative in 2017, including in support of:
    • The desired pedestrian linkages through the block bounded by Norwich Quay and Canterbury, London and Oxford Streets.
    • Urban design requirements are aimed at improving the pedestrian environment.
    • Public events on London Street.
    • On-site parking reductions.
    • Building design guidance.
    • Retention of built heritage.
  • (B2) Design and character guidance: The Council included building design guidelines specific to the Lyttelton Commercial Banks Peninsula Zone in the reviewed Christchurch District Plan – see (B1) above. The Council completed the Lyttelton Residential Character Area Design Guide specific to the residential character areas in Lyttelton in 2021.
  • (B4) Identify and assist in the retention of remaining built heritage: The Council has refaced retaining walls on Brittan Terrace and at Oxford Street/Exeter Street, Hawkhurst Road/London Street, Coleridge Terrace/Dublin Street and Voelas Road/Simeon Quay junctions since 2012. The Council also restored and lit the Upham Clock Tower Council in 2017. Heritage NZ reinstated the Lyttelton Timeball and flagstaff in 2018, after which it and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and the Whakaraupō Carving Centre installed a pou whenua (the Matariki Pou) there in 2020. The Lyttelton Port Company refurbished The Woolstore in 2018 and reinstalled a small historic lighthouse at the end of the eastern harbour pier close to the new cruise ship terminal, following earthquake repairs to both, in 2020. The Friends of St Joseph the Worker Memorial Charitable Trust completed three interpretation panels and a memorial on the Winchester Street site of the former St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in 2023. The private landowner completed the Council-supported repair and upgrade of the heritage building Kilwinning Lodge at 26 Canterbury St in 2023. The new owner of the former British Hotel completed repairs to the external brick façade in 2023.

Community wellbeing, culture and heritage (C)

  • (C1) Improved utilisation of the Lyttelton Recreation Centre: The Council repaired and reopened the Lyttelton Recreation Centre in 2017, after which Project Lyttelton renovated the mezzanine area to improve its utilisation in 2020. The Council enabled the activation and running of the centre by a new community-led trust in 2021.
  • (C3) Combined Lyttelton Library and Customer Service Hub redevelopment: The Council opened a repaired, renovated and combined Lyttelton Library and Customer Service Hub in 2017.
  • (C4) New public amenities in the town centre: The Council included a new public toilet and play equipment in Albion Square in 2014. See (N1) below. The Council added two unisex toilet stalls to the existing accessible one there, and upgraded the Lyttelton Information Centre’s public toilets, in 2023.
  • (C5) Lyttelton War Memorial Cenotaph relocation investigation and reinstatement: The Council relocated and reinstated the cenotaph in Albion Square in 2014. See (N1) below.
  • (C6) Naval Point amenity improvements and redevelopment plan: The Council made interim improvements to access and traffic flow within Naval Point and removed remnant piles from a previous marina development in 2019. It also completed structural repair work to improve the safety of the Magazine Bay Marina and removed remnant pontoon structures on LPC land and adjacent to the recreation grounds in 2020. It completed and adopted the Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan in 2020. The Council implemented Stage 1, comprising the development of a car park area, coastal revetment works, utility upgrades and re-establishment of a temporary haul out on-site, in 2021. In support of SailGP, the Council delivered the car park and other amenities, utility and infrastructural improvements on the site in 2023, as well as Godley Quay vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access improvements to the facility. These enhancements included two new floating pontoons to improve access to the water for boaters. Orion completed an electrical upgrade in 2024, providing sufficient capacity for the anticipated future redevelopment of the site. The Council completed a significant upgrade to the Lyttelton Recreation Grounds in 2024, including provision of a netball court, basketball/futsal court and an artificial turf field. Coastguard Canterbury completed and opened its new headquarters, located near the public slipway, in March 2025.
  • (C7) Art in public places: The Council, Future Curious Ltd and Lyttelton Primary School delivered a sea level rise-related mural on the school steps by the Lyttelton Arts Factory, publicly visible from Oxford Street.
  • (C8) Performance/film venue: The Ministry of Education and The Loons Theatre Trust opened a dual facility school hall and black-box theatre for the Lyttelton Arts Factory at Lyttelton Primary School in 2016. The Lyttelton Working Men’s Club repaired and reopened The Loons as a live music and performance venue in 2021.

Economy and business (E)

  • (E1) Support for a Lyttelton marketing and attraction campaign: Partly due to significant cruise ship visits to Lyttelton (and Akaroa), ChristchurchNZ produced Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Destination Management Plan in 2023.  (external link).
  • (E2) London St WiFi: The Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre led the installation of WiFi in 2013.

Movement (M)

  • (M1) Norwich Quay amenity improvements: NZTA completed an improved pedestrian crossing and bus stop on Norwich Quay in 2017. The Council provided improved pedestrian connections from Voelas Road and adjacent pedestrian areas to Te Ana Marina and the waterfront in 2020. The Lyttelton Port Company provided an off-road pedestrian connection from Norwich Quay to Te Ana Marina in 2021.
  • (M2) Heads of Agreement to facilitate resolution of Port and inner harbour waterfront access-related issues: The Council, Environment Canterbury, New Zealand Transport Agency, Lyttelton Port Company and KiwiRail signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016.
  • (M4) London Street public realm enhancements and public event opportunities: Project Lyttelton relocated Lyttelton Farmers’ Market into London Street in 2012, whilst the Council delivered Albion Square and reviewed Christchurch District Plan provisions in support of public event opportunities on London Street. See (N1) below and (B1) above. To improve safety and accessibility, the Council installed three new zebra crossings, new road markings at the existing zebra crossings and two new kerb build-outs on London Street in 2023, resulting in a net gain of two additional on-street car parks.
  • (M5) Parking investigations: The Council completed a Suburban Parking Policy to address suburban parking issues in 2019. Poto Williams (the Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration) removed the minimum number of on-site car parks required by the Christchurch District Plan in new developments in Lyttelton’s Commercial Banks Peninsula Zone in 2019.
  • (M6) Access to and from Lyttelton: The Council reopened the Sumner to Lyttelton road corridor to the public in 2019. Environment Canterbury completed a service review of the Casebrook to Lyttelton Bus Route 28 in 2023, replacing it with the new Port to Port Bus Route 8 which connects Lyttelton to Christchurch Airport via the Central City Bus Exchange, with alternating stops in Sydenham or Ara Polytechnic and at increased frequencies.

Natural environment (N)

  • (N1) A new civic square: The Council opened Albion Square in 2014.
  • (N2) Pool garden off-season access: The Council repaired and reopened the Norman Kirk Memorial Pool in 2015 and installed a removable fence in 2018.
  • (N4) Head to Head Walkway: The Council signposted every intersection of the Head to Head Walkway through the Lyttelton town centre in 2017.
  • (N5) Temporary landscapes: The Council extended the use of City Vacant Differential Rating to Lyttelton in its LTP 2024 - 2034, reflecting the extent of vacant land in the commercial centre. Well-maintained sites in planning-compliant temporary uses are exempt and remissions are available where property owners improve the visual amenity of their sites in line with the Council's Vacant Site Improvement Guide. The Council supported low-cost, light touch safety improvements at 3 - 9 London Street (known as Collett's Corner) in 2024. These will enhance accessibility to the popular market and community space on this site until it's redeveloped.

Ongoing actions

Built environment (B)

  • (B3) Local input into design and appearance: The Council established the Lyttelton Design Review Panel in 2017, since which it has provided design guidance.
  • (B4) Identify and assist in the retention of remaining built heritage: The Council has approved various heritage grants since 2012.

Community wellbeing, culture and heritage (C)

  • (C2) Investigation for and use of Council property to accommodate community and cultural activities: The Council repaired and reopened the Lyttelton Information Centre in 2013 and opened the Lyttelton Community Boardroom in 2016. See ‘Current projects’ above.
  • (C7) Art in public places: The Council and community have installed various temporary and permanent artworks since 2012. See 'Completed actions' above.
  • (C9) Emergency preparedness: The Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre led the preparation of, and has regularly reviewed, the Lyttelton Harbour Community Response Plan alongside implementing it, since 2012. It established the Lyttelton Emergency Hub (LEH) in 2024, in collaboration with the Council's Civil Defence and Emergency Management Team and groups across Banks Peninsula with an interest in resilience planning. The LEH is working actively in numerous ways to prepare for and support official Civil Defence operations when necessary.
  • (C10) Tangata Whenua's relationships, values and aspirations: The Council integrates cultural references into projects, such as Albion Square, as they occur in accordance with a project-specific cultural design strategy developed by mana whenua during project development. See (N1) above.

Economy and business (E)

  • (E1) Support for a Lyttelton marketing and attraction campaign: The Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre has prepared and promoted various marketing and attraction resources and events, with assistance from ChristchurchNZ, since 2012. It has also been working alongside the Lyttelton Port Company, Council, Environment Canterbury and other parties to ensure cruise ship passengers have the resources they need when visiting Lyttelton.
  • (E3) Appoint a Lyttelton case manager: The Council has and continues to provide assistance as required since 2012.
  • (E4) Investigation for and use of Council property to accommodate business activities: The Council accommodated PO boxes in the Council-owned building at 25 Canterbury St in 2016, for example. See (C2) under ‘Current projects’ above.
  • (E5) Funding options and temporary support: The Council has and continues to provide assistance as required since 2012. Council funding sources include the Place Partnership Fund and the Enliven Places Rates Incentive for activating vacant sites.

Natural environment

  • (N5) Temporary landscapes: The Council and community have installed various temporary projects since 2012, including the Lyttel People mandala, mosaic chair and nautical pillars which were subsequently incorporated permanently into Albion Square.
  • (N6) Local landscape and heritage interpretation: See 'Current projects' above. The Council included heritage references in Albion Square, for example. See (N1) under 'Completed actions' above.

Commenced actions

The following Lyttelton Master Plan actions have commenced and/or been completed in part to the extent noted:

Movement (M)

  • (M1) Norwich Quay amenity improvements: See ‘Completed actions’ above. The Council has yet to fund the other amenity improvements anticipated by this action.
  • (M4) London Street public realm enhancements and public event opportunities: See ‘Completed actions’ above. The Council has yet to fund and commence the longer-term street enhancements anticipated.
  • (M6) Access to and from Lyttelton: See 'Completed actions' above. For private landowners to provide a service station.

Not yet commenced actions

There are no not yet commenced actions.

Discontinued actions

Movement (M)

  • (M3) Pedestrian linkages: The Council discontinued this in 2020, due to the potential legal complications and cost associated with enabling public use of the existing Right of Ways and the cost of providing new public Right of Ways, relative to the funding budgeted. This funding was reallocated to support public toilet upgrades in anticipation of the return of cruise ship passengers to Lyttelton.

Natural environment (N)

  • (N3) Rooftop park between, or on a combined, Lyttelton Library and Customer Service Hub: The Council discontinued this in 2014, due to the significant cost implications and the completion of Albion Square, which provides for the free enjoyment of the sun, harbour views and meeting space anticipated by this action.