First decision on Christchurch’s Replacement Plan released
The Strategic Directions and Strategic Outcomes decision made by the Christchurch Replacement District Plan (Replacement Plan) Hearing Panel was notified today.
The Decision made extensive changes to the Council’s notified version to ensure it was focused on key issues for Christchurch and provided clear direction. The Decision also expressly acknowledges:
- the challenges facing Christchurch in post-earthquake recovery marks Christchurch out as an exception from the pack of other large cities in New Zealand;
- the very significant scale of investment needed from private sector investors (including new investment that is attracted into the city) to secure a successful recovery ($30 billion or 75 per cent of the total spend);
- that process efficiency and cost are critical resource management issues in the context of post-earthquake Christchurch; and
- that costs, delays and uncertainties of RMA administration can impact upon investment decisions.
An overarching objective as to expedited recovery and future enhancement of Christchurch as a dynamic, prosperous and intentionally competitive city has been inserted, which includes meeting the community’s immediate and longer term needs for housing, economic development, community facilities, infrastructure and transport, and social and cultural wellbeing; and fostering investment certainty.
The decision can be located here: http://www.chchplan.ihp.govt.nz/Hearings/Hearing1/Pages/default.aspx.
This decision provides overarching direction for the remainder of the Replacement Plan chapters which will now proceed to hearing and be heard throughout this year. For more information about these chapters, please see our earlier article here: http://www.al.nz/replacement-plan-for-christchurch-city-notified/
Please contact our Christchurch Resource Management team if you would like any further information.
PDF version : First decision on Christchurch’s Replacement Plan released