We’re upgrading the streets and water network around One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha.

Get the latest on the Te Kaha Surrounding Streets project

Christchurch’s South-East Central neighbourhood will soon hold the most modern, state-of-the-art, stadium in the southern hemisphere. We need to upgrade the surrounding streets so that they’re prepared for the increased activity the area will experience when One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha opens in April 2026. 

The Te Kaha Surrounding Streets package of works covers a range of upgrades to the transport and water infrastructure in the streets around the area. The project includes widening footpaths, slower speed limits, landscaping, pedestrian crossings, changing the travel direction of some streets, and upgrades to the water infrastructure. Work is underway and will be completed in 2025. Read the start works notice(external link).

The project will cost around $34 million, with $11.4 million of this earmarked for the necessary water supply, wastewater and stormwater pipes that are at the end of their life. 

This entire package of work was approved as part of the Council’s Long Term and Annual Plans and is separate from the $683 million budget approved for the construction of the stadium. 

Latest news - Final stage of work approved

The final portion of transport works around the city’s new stadium has received the go ahead.

The Council applied for funding for a third stage of planned works and received advice from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) that the funding would be unlikely to be granted through the National Land Transport Programme in the 2024-27 period. 

Today the Christchurch City Council voted to proceed with the stage three works, rather than wait for future NZTA funding to become available or cancel the last section of works altogether.

The elected Council will work through the impacts as part of the ongoing Annual Plan process. Some future projects may need to be rescoped or deferred to balance the 0.06% rates impact. 

Read more on Newsline(external link).

Traffic management

Contractors, Isaac Construction, have been engaged to carry out the Te Kaha Surrounding Streets package of works. 

Temporary traffic management will be in place throughout the works, including detours, lane closures, reduced on-street parking, and other measures.  

You can find the latest traffic management information(external link) on the Isaac Construction webpage.

Thank you for your patience while this project is delivered. The work will help pave the way for Christchurch’s new stadium and future proof the transport and water infrastructure for the growing south-east central neighbourhood.  

Stage one - Water network upgrades (underway)

Timeline: July 2024 to early 2025.

We're upgrading the water supply and wastewater infrastructure around the Te Kaha Precinct. Works are taking place on:

  • Lichfield Street – Manchester to Madras Streets
  • Madras Street – Hereford to St Asaph Streets
  • Barbadoes Street – Gloucester Street to Ferry Road, including intersections
  • Tuam Street – Madras to Barbadoes streets
  • Cashel Street – Manchester to Madras Streets
  • Ash Street – off Madras Street

Parts of the pipe network in the area are due for replacement and other elements are being upgraded to support the new stadium.

Stage two - Transport works overview (underway)

Timeline: August 2024 to late 2025. 

The transport works start in August 2024 on the streets listed below: 

  • Barbadoes Street – Hereford Street to Tuam Street 
  • Tuam Street – Barbadoes Street to Madras Street 
  • Madras Street – Hereford Street to Tuam Street 
  • Lichfield Street – Madras Street to Manchester Street 

The works involve widening footpaths, adding pedestrian crossings, and changing the direction of travel on some streets. These transport works will begin directly following the water works detailed above. 

Remaining transport works (including additional works on Lichfield Street) will be considered by the Council later in the year, once the outcome of a funding application to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is known.

The Council has applied for funding from NZTA for some support for the roading elements of the project, however the funding decision was deferred by NZTA and is now expected around October 2024.     

Stage one and two map

Note: Transport works on Lichfield Street west (Manchester Street to Madras Street) are shown on the map above as a red dotted line, as further transport works may be approved for this area as part of stage three works.

Stage three - transport works (proposed)

Timeline: to be determined in late 2024

Christchurch City Councillors approved some transport works to go ahead at their meeting on 21 August 2024.

The remaining works will be considered once the outcome of a funding application to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is known.  

The Council has applied for funding from NZTA for some support for the roading elements of the project, however the funding decision was deferred by NZTA and is now expected around October 2024.  

The last stage of transport works are proposed for the streets that lead to the block containing the new stadium:   

  • Barbadoes Street - Gloucester Street to Hereford Street
  • Barbadoes Street - Tuam Street to Ferry Road
  • Madras Street - Tuam Street to Moorhouse Avenue
  • Tuam Street - Barbadoes Street to Fitzgerald Avenue
  • Lichfield Street - Barbadoes Street to Fitzgerald Avenue
  • Lichfield Street - Manchester Street to Madras Street (further to the works taking place in stage two)

Previous project updates

1 November 2024

Christchurch City Councillors are set to decide how to proceed with the final stage of roading upgrades around One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha.

The Council applied for funding for a third stage of planned works and has since received advice from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi that the funding is unlikely be granted through the National Land Transport Programme for the 2024-27 period.

Councillors will consider a report recommending that stage three proceeds as planned at their meeting on Wednesday 6 November. 

The report also outlines options to delay the stage three works until after the stadium opens or cancel them altogether. Read more on Newsline(external link).

14 October 2024

A 57-hour marathon of works will see water upgrades at the intersection of Manchester Street and Lichfield Street largely completed in one weekend.

The intersection will be closed from 9pm on Friday 18 October until 6am on Monday 21 October to excavate and replace aging water pipes. Read more on Newsline(external link).

21 August 2024

Christchurch City Councillors today voted to carry out upgrades to the transport network on the streets immediately around Te Kaha, Canterbury’s Multi-Use Arena on Tuam, Barbadoes and Madras Streets, as well as some essential works on Lichfield Street west from Madras Street to Manchester Street.  

Works are already underway to upgrade the water infrastructure to future-proof the network for the surrounding neighbourhood. These works also serve the new stadium, which is on track to open in April 2026.  

The transport elements will take place directly following the water works. Read more on Newsline(external link).

16 August 2024

The future of street upgrades around Te Kaha (One New Zealand Stadium) will be decided next week. 

On Wednesday 21 August, Christchurch City Councillors will meet to consider a report recommending stage two upgrading the streets around the stadium, and Lichfield Street West starts immediately. 

The report also outlines options to either delay the transport works until after NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has released its decision around funding a portion of the transport works or proceed with the water elements only. Read more on Newsline(external link).

26 July 2024

Work to upgrade the water network around Te Kaha (One New Zealand Stadium) is about to begin.

From Monday 29 July, detours and lane closures will be in place around Barbadoes Street, Madras Street and connecting side streets between Gloucester Street and Ferry Road. In August, work will ramp up and there will be traffic management for the duration of the works into 2025.

The work will help pave the way for Te Kaha while future-proofing the water infrastructure in the area for residents and businesses. Read the latest newsletter for more details(external link).

11 July 2024

Work on essential water upgrades around Te Kaha, Canterbury’s Multi-Use Arena, get underway this month. 

Our contractors, Isaac Construction, have been engaged to upgrade the pipes and water infrastructure around the stadium. The team will be on site from next week until early 2025 completing the water works.

From Monday 15 July Isaac's team will be on site scoping the works ahead. Construction begins in early August. 

Temporary traffic management measures will be in place throughout the works. To learn more about the project and its impacts, view the work notice(external link).

24 June 2024

Work on essential water upgrades around Te Kaha, Canterbury’s Multi-Use Arena, will get underway in late July.  

Contractors Isaac Construction have been appointed to carry out the works which include upgrading the water supply and wastewater infrastructure around the arena on Lichfield, Madras and Barbadoes streets. Read more on Newsline(external link).

Meet the contractor sessions - watch the recap

In late July 2024, we held two meet-the-contractor sessions. This was an opportunity to meet the project team involved in delivering this package of work, get an overview of the work ahead, and ask questions.

To accommodate as many people as possible, we held one session in person and one online. A recording of the online session is below.

If you were unable to attend either session but would like to speak with the team, please don't hesitate to get in touch at 0800 472 222 or tekaha.streets@isaac.co.nz.

Consultation

Consultation on the Te Kaha Surrounding Streets package of works(external link) was held from 10 October 2022 to 30 November 2022.

We received feedback from 1,214 individuals, businesses and organisations during the consultation period. Hearings took place in April 2023.

The Council's Finance and Performance Committee approved the plan(external link)(external link) on 28 June 2023. 

The approved plan included a revised, hybrid option for Lichfield Street(external link) between Manchester and Madras Streets. The refined option will see it retain its current dual-direction state, but with a 10km speed limit to ensure it remains safe for pedestrians.

The upgrade to Lichfield Street West will cost $4.5 million; this is $1.2 million more than the original option, which would have transformed the street into a one-way, pedestrian-safe road.