New Brighton Centre Master Plan

Streets and public spaces (A)

• (A3) New north-south corridor: The Council has begun work towards the Oram Avenue extension through New Brighton Mall to Hawke Street by purchasing the required land. Having acquired and demolished the former Westpac building on 56 Brighton Mall, the site has been temporarily fenced while its interim activation as a pedestrian walkway and community space is delivered. Further progress to deliver the Oram Avenue extension depends on confirmed funding in the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan.
• (A4) Brighton Mall upgrade: In its Annual Plan FY23/24, the Council brought forward $300,000 for initial planning and design works to upgrade New Brighton Mall between Oram Ave and Marine Parade. This is in support of the proposed development by the Greater New Brighton Group on the site adjoining the southern side of this section of the mall. Staff have been progressing initial planning, surveying, CPTED and tree assessments and preliminary scheme design work. Further progress depends on confirmed funding in the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan. ChristchurchNZ has established a working group ‘Better for Brighton’, comprising representatives of ChristchurchNZ, the Council, a private developer and the Greater New Brighton Group, to coordinate and provide oversight of their respective projects occurring within Brighton Mall.
• (A5) General streetscape enhancements: Staff sought public feedback on the Gateway to New Brighton project scheme design in 2023. It includes cycling and walking facilities along Pages and Seaview Roads, connecting the Ōtākaro Avon River to New Brighton’s mall, pier and hot pools, and the resurfacing of Seaview Road in a manner consistent with other master plan-related streetscape upgrades. The project also converts the existing roundabout into a new pocket park around the established palm tree, consistent with the western gateway into the shopping centre anticipated by the master plan. The pocket park will include paths for walking and cycling along with artwork developed in collaboration with mana whenua. As the result of the public submissions received, staff presented a recommended scheme design for consideration, along with the submissions, by a Hearings Panel in April 2024. Further progress is subject to Council, funding and statutory approvals.

Land and development (B)

• (B1) New residential development: Having obtained Resource Consent, construction has started on Stage One of the Te Paku Maru residential development at 55 Beresford Street. This will deliver 25 new homes and is expected to be completed in early 2025.
• (B5) Car parking improvements: The Council has included a proposal to extend the use of City Vacant Differential Rating to four suburban centres including New Brighton in its Draft LTP 2024-2034, reflecting the extent of vacant land there. 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. ChristchurchNZ has been working with potentially affected property owners to improve their sites accordingly and is also reviewing a number of options for the Hawke Street car park in the hopes of finding a solution alongside the private landowners to its current poor condition.

Recovery together (C)

• (C1) A stronger, active business association: The Town Team (now renamed the Driftwood Council of Brighton) continues to meet and has been working on a number of small-scale projects to build community connection and inspire local pride. ChristchurchNZ is considering the possibility of this group establishing a formal Business Improvement District.
• (C3) Transitional projects and events: ChristchurchNZ has been supporting placemaking activities in the area, including the New Brighton Online refresh, a local food market pilot and progress on a local cultural tour.

Streets and public spaces (A)

• (A1) Foreshore connections: DCL completed foreshore attractions, including the beachside playground and splash pool and He Puna Taimoana (an award-winning combination of open-air hot pools, sauna, steam room and public beach-facing facilities), in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
• (A2) Marine Parade upgrade: The Council completed a full streetscape upgrade of Marine Parade between Hawke and Beresford Streets, including wider footpaths, street lighting and connection to the new hot pools, in 2020.
• (A4) Brighton Mall upgrade: The Council installed some temporary cycle stands opposite Carnaby Lane in 2023, which will be reused once the Oram Avenue extension is implemented.
• (A5) General streetscape enhancements: The Council completed enhancements to Beresford Street, Hawke Street and Seaview Road where they intersect with Marine Parade, as part of the Marine Parade streetscape upgrade, in 2020.

Land and development (B)

• (B1) New residential development: DGM Group completed Stage One of the Seaview housing development on Seaview Road, and the public reserve running through it, in 2023. It completed Stage Two and installed a public artwork by local artist Jon Jett on the reserve in 2024.
• (B4) New pedestrian links: The Council completed a pedestrian crossing, as an early part of the Marine Parade upgrade, in 2018.

Recovery together (C)

• (C1) A stronger, active business association: As part of the Neat Places-facilitated marketing campaign to support the commercial core, ChristchurchNZ assisted delivery of an events assessment to consider gaps and a future strategy in 2023 and supported the Driftwood Council of Brighton (DCOB) to deliver ‘Good Guides’ in 2023 and 2024. The DCOB delivered a project to brighten shop fronts with new local branding in 2023 and created a website, Facebook page, series of postcards and delivered its first community event in 2024.
• (C2) Economic development incentives: DCL supported the re-establishment of the New Brighton Business and Landowner Association and the Creating Momentum Regeneration Fund, which supported projects like the Carnaby Lane Revitalisation Project and a number of business start-ups, in 2017. ChristchurchNZ supported the delivery of business information workshops for local business leaders, small 'upgrade grants' (e.g. for new signage) and a marketing campaign via Neat Places and the release of the 'Good Guides' in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
• (C3) Transitional projects and events: The Council, ChristchurchNZ and community has completed transitional projects since 2015. These included the Tiny Huts, Recreate, Re:Activate and Pump Track, the Bubble mural and other public artworks on buildings and utility cabinets in the commercial core and the Good Vibes market in the Roy Stokes Hall. Life in Vacant Spaces completed handover of the Roy Stokes Hall to Youth Alive (a New Brighton Trust that purchased the building from ChristchurchNZ to continue its use as a community space), in 2024.

Streets and public spaces (A)

• (A7) Materials and planting palette implementation: DCL completed a materials and planting palette in 2017/2018, which is subsequently incorporated across a number of New Brighton Centre Master Plan actions, including the Marine Parade revitalisation and foreshore attractions.

Land and development (B)

• (B6) Design code implementation: For the property owners to implement through careful consideration of building design and orientation when redeveloping.

Recovery together (C)

• (C1) A stronger, active business association: DCL supported the New Brighton Business and Landowner Association between 2015 and 2019, with ChristchurchNZ currently working to support some form of an active business association in the long term. ChristchurchNZ continues to support private development efforts, including an existing mixed-use development at the end of Brighton Mall.  See ‘Current projects’ above.
• (C3) Transitional projects and events: See 'Current Projects' and ‘Completed actions’ above.
• (C4) Graffiti removal: The community with Council assistance, has and continues to provide this since 2015.
• (C5) Case management: The Council has and continues to provide assistance since 2015.

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

Streets and public spaces (A)

• (A3) New north-south corridor: See ‘Current projects’ above.
• (A4) Brighton Mall upgrade: See ‘Current projects’ above. 
• (A5) General streetscape enhancements: See ‘Completed actions’ above. The Council has yet to fund the streetscape upgrades to the balance of Beresford Street, Hawke Street and Seaview Road and to Union Street and Shaw and Oram Avenues.

Land and development (B)

• (B1) New residential development: See ‘Current projects’ above.
• (B4) New pedestrian links: Private landowners and the Council may incorporate further links into private development and/or as part of the intended north-south corridor respectively.

Streets and public spaces (A)

• (A6) New open space and public toilets: The Council has allowed for a new public toilet and open space in association with the land purchase for the new road corridor (although the open space may be limited depending on the extent of land ultimately acquired), but has yet to fund this action.

Land and development (B)

• (B2) Relocation of the supermarket: The supermarket owner is still considering options for its future.
• (B3) New bus interchange: The Council has provided for a bus superstop in the scheme options for the new north-south corridor as an interim measure, but has yet to fund this action.
• (B5) Car parking improvements: See 'Current projects' above. For the property owners to implement through the maintenance of and improvements to the use, layout, security/safety and appearance of existing private car parking areas.

Recovery together (C)

• (C6) Council customer services: The Council has considered this, through its wider customer services programme, and discounted it.