Last east frame housing block up for sale

Sunday, 13 July 2025

The last block of the east frame in central Christchurch is for sale on Manchester St between Gloucester and Worcester streets.

The very last block of land in central Christchurch’s east frame housing area is up for sale.

The land, bordered by Manchester, Gloucester and Worcester streets, and Huanui Lane, is owned by the Crown.

Government development company Crown Infrastructure Delivery Ltd is seeking proposals until August 28 from developers wanting to buy and build out the site.

New Fletcher Living units being built on Gloucester St, pictured in March.

It is the only east frame block not yet sold for development.

The 4830m² site previously held the Good Spot car park, run by non-profit group Gap Filler. It has sat vacant for two and a half years since the consent for the car park expired.

An artist’s impression of the new Downtown development to be built in central Christchurch by the Peebles Group.

The east frame housing area, established as one of the city’s anchor rebuild projects, now has 800 townhouses and apartments built, under construction, or planned. Running through it is Rauora Park.

Fletcher Living was the original east frame developer, and has housing projects on all the east frame sites facing Madras St and Latimer Sq, plus two facing Manchester St.

The east frame and Rauora Park, looking north.

Other east frame developers are Williams Corporation, which is completing a Manchester St block between Worcester and Hereford streets, and the Peebles Group, which will develop its mixed-use housing, commercial, retail and hospitality complex Downtown between Cashel and Lichfield streets.

Buildings in the east frame so far are between two and six storeys high.

Williams Corporation apartments nearing completion in the east frame in central Christchurch.

All the completed homes are being sold off to private buyers. Prices for the apartments and townhouses have ranged from under $400,000 to more than $2 million.

Cameron Darby, director of capital markets for commercial real estate firm CBRE, which is marketing the last block, said is “a rare and final chance” to buy a large-scale development site in the central city.

The company is seeking a buyer capable of delivering a high-quality residential development that enhances the area, he said.

Prior to the quakes the block housed buildings including the old civic chambers, Iconic bar, Westende House, and Pedro’s restaurant. The Crown then bought the land for the east frame project.