The Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan sets out a community-agreed vision for Selwyn Street and the critical actions to achieve it. It was adopted by the Council in July 2012.

Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan [PDF, 5.8 MB].

Local Selwyn Street residents appreciated their local centre and the convenient shopping and services it provided. They are now rebuilding their community following the earthquakes and the loss of much of its built heritage and the disruption to its retail and business life.

Taking care to plan Selwyn Street’s commercial centre post-earthquake is critical to ensure the centre will be the best it can be. 

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

Vision, goals and actions

The Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan contains a strategic vision to transform the centre into a prosperous, attractive place for people to live and visit, to spend time and to do business.

The vision is supported by five goals, which are to be delivered through nine detailed implementation actions/projects. 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 sections 2 and 6 of the Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan [PDF, 5.8 MB].

Progress on implementation of actions

In the years following the adoption of the Selwyn Street Shops 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 Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan actions can be viewed below, under the themes with which each action aligns.

Current projects

The built environment (B)

  • (B2) 299 Selwyn Street: The private landowner started a residential redevelopment comprising a mix of 25 two and three-story townhouses in 2022. As of April 2023, this development is nearing completion.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street - street environment and movement: The Council has started scoping the remaining aspects of this action (Selwyn Street/Coronation Street intersection changes and a Selwyn Street upgrade). Originally scheduled for implementation in FY22/23, this project has been postponed for 12 months in order to coordinate its design and implementation with Waka Kotahi’s proposed changes to Brougham Street, and the proposed Christchurch Regeneration Acceleration Facility work for Selwyn Street.

Completed actions

The built environment (B)

  • (B3) Selwyn Street eastern side: The private landowner designed and re-built shop units at 288 – 304 Selwyn Street in 2016/2017.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street – street environment and movement: The Council (and NZTA on Brougham Street) partially completed this with Brougham Street/Selwyn Street intersection improvements (cycle infrastructure and crossing points) in 2015.

Natural environment (N)

  • (N1) Selwyn Street Reserve: New planting areas and refreshed pathways were delivered by the Council in 2022.

Ongoing actions

Recovery together (R)

  • (R1) Ongoing case management: The Council has and continues to provide assistance as required since 2012.

Commenced actions

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

The built environment (B)

  • (B2) 299 Selwyn Street:  See ‘Current projects’ above.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street – street environment and movement: The Council has allocated funding for the delivery of the balance in FY22/23 (postponed for 12 months). See ‘Current projects’ above.

Recovery together (R)

  • (R2) Business Association: The Council has provided advice and support on the establishment of a business association. Now with businesses to implement.

Future development concepts (F)

  • (F1) Future vision: The Methodist Church of NZ rebuilt the church hall in 2017. Any further work towards the achievement of the ‘Church Precinct’ is for the private landowner to implement.

Not yet commenced actions

The built environment (B)

  • (B1) 320 Selwyn Street/57 Somerset Crescent: For the private landowner to implement.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S2) Selwyn Street Church hall frontage: The Council has allocated funding for the delivery of the Council-delivered aspect in FY22/23.

Discontinued actions

Natural environment (N)

  • (N1) Selwyn Street Reserve: The Council discontinued this in 2020, following the completion of full concept development and consultation for the park upgrade and the subsequent reallocation of the funding for this project within the master plan capital programme, to redevelop Naval Point in Lyttelton. However, some elements were included in a refresh of the part in 2022. See ‘Current projects’ above.