Feedback needed on changes to planning rules
Thursday, 21 April 2022
More intense housing development will be allowed in most residential areas of Ōtautahi-Christchurch under the Draft Housing and Business Choice Plan Change, out for consultation until May 13, 2022.
The Government has directed the Council to enable more housing to accommodate the city's growing population. Changes are being proposed to the District Plan to accommodate this new direction.
In most urban residential zones of the city, medium density housing must be enabled. That means people will be allowed to build up to three houses per section, and up to 12 metres high (usually three storeys, depending on building design), without resource consent. This change is required by law.
Further government direction requires even greater levels of development – both residential and commercial – to be allowed within and near the central city, suburban commercial centres and planned high frequency and capacity public transport stops.
Commercial centres
Through the draft plan change, greater levels of intensification in and around commercial centres is proposed with increased building height over and above 12 metres.
The highest development is proposed in and around the city centre, followed by Ōtautahi-Christchurch's biggest commercial centres, with this gradually reducing out to smaller commercial centres. Resource consent will still be required for development over 12 metres.
Building upwards in and around commercial centres means there is less demand to grow outwards and build homes on the versatile soils on the city's fringe. This will help provide a broader range of housing for the changing population.
Having people living close to where they work, shop and go to school will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reach the goal of Ōtautahi-Christchurch being carbon neutral by 2045.
Not all areas are suitable
Pockets of the city are not suitable for the amount of increased housing that is enabled by the recent legislation, for a variety of reasons.
Some areas have qualities, known as Qualifying Matters, which mean rules enabling increased development will not apply, or the level we enable increased development to is limited, and remains subject to resource consent approval.
These include areas where there is a high risk of flooding or erosion as sea levels rise, as well as special character or heritage areas, which the Council wants to protect. There are also some areas where infrastructure constraints exist.
Strong evidence is required for something to become a Qualifying Matter, and becoming one does not provide blanket protection from housing intensification.
Three draft plan changes about Coastal Hazards, Heritage, and Radio Communication Pathways are also out for feedback until May 13.
Check with us
The Council urges people wishing to develop to check water and sewer network capacity with them prior to planning a new development.
In most parts of the city, major pipes have enough capacity to accommodate increased growth. However, increased growth in areas with less capacity may mean that some infrastructure projects need to happen sooner than planned through the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan processes. In most cases, interim measures can be put in place or minor local upgrades can be incorporated into the development plans – as is the current practice.
Have your say
Feedback from this round of consultation will be used to shape the Draft Housing and Business Choice Plan Change ahead of formal consultation before August 20, 2022.
Although the Council must adhere to the Government direction, and some aspects of what is proposed cannot be altered, there are some things that can be changed if there is enough evidence.
The Council is keen to hear feedback about the building heights being proposed and the areas that have been identified as being suitable for even more development in and around commercial centres. It also seeks feedback on any other Qualifying Matters that need to be considered, including character or heritage areas.
Learn more about the Housing and Business Choice, Coastal Hazards, Heritage, and Radio Communication Pathways draft plan changes and how you can give feedback online at ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay.