‘A missed opportunity’: Tied vote kills chance to rezone Sydenham

Monday, 2 December 2024

Efforts to increase housing density in Christchurch are drawing the ire of local residents. (First published February 9, 2021).

Christchurch City Council has managed to appease both sides of the housing intensification debate, but failing to rezone Sydenham was a missed opportunity, advocates say.

Councillors were deadlocked over a decision which could have unlocked “prime” land between Moorhouse Ave and Brougham St on Monday.

It would have rezoned blocks of industrial Sydenham - some just minutes to a supermarket by foot - to mixed use, making it eligible for residential development.

Cr Sara Templeton led the recommendation on the grounds that residents wanted more housing intensification in the city centre, yet options to the south were limited.

Williams Corp apartments on the corner of Hagley Ave and Moorhouse Ave. Plan change 14 could allow for greater intensification across much of Christchurch.

But she failed to rally enough support, in part because it was attached to a wider request which would have rezoned Papanui Rd for higher densities, which some councillors thought was unnecessary.

Councillors voted 7-7, with Yani Johanson abstaining. Council decisions default to the status quo in a tie, meaning the recommendation failed.

“It is a bit of an opportunity lost, to be honest,” said Tony Simons, of the Combined Residents Association.

He said he understood the argument against more housing intensification north of Bealey Ave, but there was definitely interest in more homes south of the city centre.

“It’s unfortunate she didn’t succeed … There is a strong feeling [from residents] that council should focus intensification on the central city,” he said.

M Grace-Stent, chairperson of urbanist group Greater Ōtautahi, felt the same way, saying the Sydenham land was “prime for development”.

A request which would have rezoned Papanui Rd for higher densities was felt by some councillors to be unnecessary.

However, both the urbanist and residents association representatives agreed that councillors had taken Christchurch “a step in the right direction” in their vote on new planning rules, making it easier to build up - rather than out - across much of the city.

The decisions were made as part of plan change 14, a government-initiated process which sought to make councils allow three, three-storey homes to be built on sections without a resource consent.

It largely affects parcels of land between 200m and 800m, around a central commercial point, across some 40 suburbs.

Councillors also agreed to fight for more ways to protect certain areas from intensification, against the wishes of an independent hearings panel which oversaw the plan change.

That included making sunlight access a qualifying matter - or an exemption to new housing density rules - and keeping front yards along key transport routes at least 1.5m from the boundary.

Hornby councillor Mark Peters, pictured here last year, chose to participate in the vote, despite being advised not to over a potential conflict of interest.

They also agreed to make it easier for developers to build within the airport noise corridor. Led by Cr Sam MacDonald, the rule change would remove the requirement to consult Christchurch Airport on developments with three or more units.

Councillors unanimously agreed to remove the derelict Antonio Hall on Riccarton Rd from its list of protected buildings. Daresbury House will also be removed from the list, if councillors get their way.

Those and several other decisions will be escalated to RMA Reform and Housing Minister Chris Bishop to have the final say, not expected until March, council staff said.

The council has until December next year to decide how it will change housing intensification in the rest of the city.

Councillors James Gough and Celeste Donovan did not participate in the discussion or vote because of legal advice that their conflicts of interest were too risky.

Mark Peters told colleagues at the start of the meeting he had also been advised not to participate but would do so anyway, because his conflict only pertained to a council-appointed role on the Riccarton Bush Trust and he could simply step aside for the one relevant vote.

“Today is the day that Hornby elected me to be here, to represent them and their interests in this very large piece of work that we’re considering,” he said.

How councillors voted on creating a walkable catchment around the city centre, which was required to rezone industrial Sydenham:

For: Melanie Coker, Sara Templeton, Andrei Moore, Tyla Harrison-Hunt, Jake McLellan, Mark Peters, Tyrone Fields.

Against: Pauline Cotter, Kelly Barber, Sam MacDonald, Aaron Keown, mayor Phil Mauger, Tim Scandrett, Victoria Henstock.

Abstained: Yani Johanson.