Land Use Recovery Plan Released
The Land Use Recovery Plan (LURP) has been approved by the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and takes effect on 6 December 2013. It is a significant document for anyone wishing to develop in the Greater Christchurch area and sets the scene for future communities.
The LURP puts in place land use policies and rules to assist in the rebuild and recovery process, as well as providing direction for the future development of Greater Christchurch.
The LURP contains a set of 50 actions that will be carried out by councils and government agencies. Some of these take immediate effect, including changes to the Regional Policy Statement, Christchurch City Plan, and Selwyn and Waimakariri district plans. Other actions are to be developed within specified timeframes and this includes a full review of the Christchurch City Plan, which is to be completed by April 2016.
A key aspect of the LURP is providing for an anticipated 40,000 new households in both greenfield and intensification areas. Greenfield priority locations for new residential and business development have been identified. The LURP also aims to deliver an additional 8,000–10,000 dwellings through intensification in existing urban areas. A number of mechanisms are included to provide for intensification within Christchurch City, including:
- Removing restrictions on occupation of family flats and elderly persons housing units;
- Allowing two residential units can be built where only one was previously allowed in some residential zones;
- Allowing an existing dwelling to be reconfigured to create two units;
- Inclusion of an enhanced development mechanism to provide for medium density housing on large sites; and
- Inclusion of a community housing redevelopment mechanism that enables redevelopment of community and social housing that is already in place.
From now, any decisions on resource consents or changes to planning documents must not be inconsistent with the LURP. The LURP also impacts on annual and long term plans under the Local Government Act, regional land transport strategies and programmes under the Land Transport Management Act 2003 and conservation policies and strategies in the area.
A copy of the Land Use Recovery Plan can be viewed here.
For more information on the Land Use Recovery Plan and its implications contact one of our specialist legal team.
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Jen Crawford, Partner
Alex Booker, Senior Associate
Sarah Eveleigh, Associate
PDF version : Land Use Recovery Plan Released