Key Decisions From Today's Council Meeting - 28 January 2016

Christchurch City Council met today and made the following key decisions:

Amendment made to Freedom Camping Bylaw

Council made a minor change to the new Freedom Camping Bylaw introduced on 1 December 2015. The purpose of the amendment was to clarify the clause that brings the bylaw into alignment with other bylaws, such as the Parks and Reserves Bylaw. It clarifies that freedom camping on reserves is not allowed, other than in the areas provided for in the freedom camping bylaw. It also confirms that where freedom camping involves parking a vehicle, ordinary parking related restrictions still apply. The amendment has no effect on the areas identified in the bylaw for restricted freedom camping. The Council will receive a report at the end of the summer on how the bylaw has operated, and the Council still intends to review the bylaw within two years.

Roads make way for Anchor Projects

Council noted that Central City Development Unit (CCDU) will remove the road designation for part of Oxford Terrace which is now covered by the Margaret Mahy Playground. CCDU will also remove the road designation of Balfour Terrace and Horatio Street where the Metro Sports Facility will be built. Ownership of the land in both cases will change from Council to the Crown. A new road will be built by CCDU to link numbers 1-3 Balfour Terrace to Stewart Street. In this case, the land ownership transfers from the Crown to the Council.

QEII asbestos encapsulation decision

The Council today agreed it will encapsulate asbestos containing material on the QEII site. The material was found following the demolition of the QEII Recreation and Sport Centre.

It is estimated the work, which is a proven and safe treatment for the removal of asbestos, will cost about $3.8 million and it will take about 12 weeks to complete the asbestos encapsulation. The development of sports fields and other areas on the demolition site will take longer.

The asbestos found on the QEII site was typically pieces of pipe often encased in concrete. It was not airborne and the likelihood of it ever becoming airborne was very low. However, while it has been waiting to make a decision about what to do with the asbestos material, the Council has taken a number of steps. The material was buried and covered on the site, ensuring asbestos could not be released into the air. The rubble piles were then covered with a product similar to weed mat. The area is also regularly watered and additional fencing has been installed, ensuring the public cannot access the site. The Medical Officer of Health for Canterbury has advised that "undisturbed asbestos in the ground does not cause any harm."

Once the work to encapsulate the asbestos material has been completed, the Council will continue with plans to return the site to grass playing fields for community use. The Council is also currently working closely with the Ministry of Education over the co-location of Avonside Girls' and Shirley Boys' High Schools on the QEII site, alongside the new Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre. The organisations are still working through where the facilities will be located on the site.

ENDS

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