From Horseracing to Housing: The Riccarton Racecourse Development Plan

To increase the supply of affordable housing in Canterbury, Parliament is working with the Christchurch City Council and the Riccarton Racecourse to free up more land for housing. The Local Government and Environment Committee is encouraging Cantabrians to tell them what they think of this plan.

There are two bills that have been introduced and will be considered together: Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill (a government bill) and Riccarton Racecourse Bill (a local bill). They intend to speed up the process for the Riccarton Racecourse to develop up to 40 hectares of its land for housing.

The Riccarton Racecourse Bill removes some of the restrictions to developing the Riccarton Racecourse land by repealing the Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Act 1878. The bill also gives the Riccarton Racecourse Board of Trustees the power to make and put into action a scheme for developing part of the land into housing.

The Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill sets out the requirements of the scheme including the provision of at least 600 houses, 30% of which should be affordable, as well as providing right of first refusal over the development land in favour of Ngāi Tahu. The Board would have to submit the proposed scheme to the Minister and Christchurch City Council for consultation, before being approved by Order in Council.

The Local Government and Environment Committee is asking for public feedback up until 4 December 2015 and will report its findings in March next year.

ENDS

© Scoop Media