Land Use Recovery Plan passed to Minister

Environment Canterbury today handed the draft Land Use Recovery Plan for greater Christchurch to Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. Mr Brownlee gave Environment Canterbury responsibility for developing the plan late last year.

Chair of Commissioners Dame Margaret Bazley acknowledged the efforts of the strategic partners, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council, Waimakariri District Council, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the New Zealand Transport Agency, in finalising the draft.

“The level of engagement has been very pleasing, and staff and governance have responded admirably to the urgent need to prepare this plan in a timely and collaborative way,” Dame Margaret said.

“This plan is vital to help the community of Christchurch recover, to offer certainty regarding land use and infrastructure, assist investment decisions, and help people and businesses locate and relocate.”

Community input was vital to the preparation of the document, Dame Margaret said. “When we released the preliminary draft Recovery Plan for comment, we received many positive suggestions on ways recovery could be facilitated. These comments helped improve the draft document.”

The draft plan provides for development in new areas. Comments received encouraged the strategic partners to look more closely at how intensification and providing a mix of housing can be promoted in existing urban areas, and to focus on rebuilding communities, not just buildings.

“We received strong support for a compact city and making medium-density development happen.”

Dame Margaret said the Environment Canterbury Commissioners valued the opportunity to develop the draft Land Use Recovery Plan and “to have done so in a way that has enhanced the relationships among the strategic partners”.

“We look forward to continuing to support CERA as the Land Use Recovery Plan is finalised and then implemented. This plan supports existing CERA plans and programmes to rebuild communities, support business innovation, growth and prosperity, and to create a high-quality urban environment that will be the envy of cities across Australasia.”

Public comments on the draft will be received by CERA from 6 July to 2 August – go to www.cera.govt.nz/lurp. The Land Use Recovery Plan website, www.developingchoices.org.nz, carries supporting and background information.

The Minister will consider the draft following the closing date for public comment. A report summarising feedback received on the preliminary draft is now publicly available, together with other documents given to the Minister.

Summary

The draft Land Use Recovery Plan includes 56 Actions, and a commitment from the strategic partners to deliver results for recovery immediately and over the next 10-15 years. It:

· Supports and complements the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan to create the thriving heart of an international city

· Provides for an anticipated 40,000 new households in both greenfield and intensification areas

· Sets a target for 18,000 new households to be provided within existing urban areas to provide medium-density housing, especially within Christchurch’s existing Living 3 and Living 4 zones and Key Activity Centres

· Provides for delivery of at least two catalyst projects for “exemplar” medium-density, more affordable housing development

· Enables delivery of social and affordable housing, including support for Housing New Zealand Corporation’s Canterbury Investment Plan

· Supports housing for Māori returning to their ancestral lands

· Identifies Key Activity Centres and supports neighbourhood centres to provide certainty for commercial investment and a focus for infrastructure, community facilities and mixed use development

· Provides for 550 hectares of greenfield business land and supports business innovation, growth and prosperity

· Provides confidence and helps to coordinate delivery of infrastructure with housing

· Takes lessons from the earthquakes and natural hazard risks

· Identifies a range of tools to deliver all actions, including incentives and advisory services, collaboration and intervention, catalyst projects and regulation changes.
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