More than 1,800 responses to options for regeneration area’s future

Regenerate Christchurch will consider 1,871 responses from people and groups as it refines options for the future use of the regeneration area.

Over four weeks, people provided feedback on 10 possible combinations of land uses for the 602-hectare Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Area, and extensive supporting information.

With this stage of feedback now closed, Regenerate Christchurch Chief Executive Ivan Iafeta says the organisation greatly appreciates the level of interest and passion that Cantabrians have shown for the area from Barbadoes Street to Bexley, and would like to thank everyone who responded for the effort they made to review the information and provide their thoughts.

“A number of people who responded used this engagement to show their support for specific projects,” says Ivan Iafeta.

“As we collate the feedback some common themes are emerging,” he says.

These include support for ecological restoration, flatwater and whitewater facilities, and eco-sanctuaries. The idea of reintroducing residential housing to the regeneration area received more than 400 responses. While most people did not support any large-scale development, there was support for innovative and adaptable housing. The proposed land-swap with Avondale and Rāwhiti golf courses was not generally supported.

“Although the idea of a land swap with Avondale and Rāwhiti golf courses appeared in a number of the 10 possible combinations of land uses, it’s not an indication of the weighting given to the idea,” says Ivan Iafeta.

“No final decisions have been made regarding the land-swap idea, or any other idea about how the land could be used.”

Regenerate Christchurch will consider all feedback as it refines its shortlist of land use options for the area. A major public exhibition is planned for early next year.

“The exhibited options could be drawn from the 10 combinations, or a mix-and-match of those ideas and land uses,” explains Ivan Iafeta.

“The exhibition will include design plans for the refined shortlist of land use options, together with information on the costs, benefits and impacts of the land uses. We will give people the opportunity to provide feedback in a range of ways and over a longer timeframe.”

“Although this latest opportunity for public feedback has been an extremely useful way of testing and refining major themes, we see this major exhibition as the most important stage: people can look at the cost and benefits of each option and provide their preferences, and discuss the stages and timeframes to realise the vision,” says Ivan Iafeta.

Following the exhibition, Regenerate Christchurch will prepare a draft Regeneration Plan, which will include a preferred land use plan for the area. The draft Plan will also confirm responsibilities for funding, delivery and governance. It’s expected the draft Regeneration Plan will be finalised by the end of 2018.

An analysis of the feedback Regenerate Christchurch received on the 10 possible combinations of land uses will be available in coming weeks.

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