December 7, 2009
MEDIA STATEMENT

Commissioners release recommendations on land use and urban growth management for Greater Christchurch

Environment Canterbury will this week consider the recommendations made by its external commissioners on the Regional Policy Statement Proposed Change 1. The landmark planning document, which addresses land use and urban growth management in Greater Christchurch for the next 35 years, provides the statutory backing for the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy.

While Environment Canterbury will not formally consider the recommendations until Thursday’s council meeting, chair Alec Neill says the commissioners’ report is welcome. “It provides a strong endorsement of the collaborative approach to urban growth management being pursued by the partners to the Urban Development Strategy – Environment Canterbury, the Christchurch City Council, Selwyn and Waimakariri District Councils, and the New Zealand Transport Agency.”

Cr Neill says the approach adopted by these councils is an example to other urban areas in New Zealand undergoing similar growth pressures, and this has been recognised by the commissioners.

“We worked closely with our Urban Development Strategy partners to put together this planning document and it had broad stakeholder input. The commissioners supported our integrated approach and the broad objectives we are aiming to achieve.”

He says the recommendations come at the end of a robust and inclusive hearings process which ran over more than four months, ending in early September.

“Like any planning process, the commissioners heard a diversity of views from a range of interests about the desired future for Greater Christchurch. The role of a planning process such as this is to balance those differing needs and views and make recommendations with the best long term interests of the community in mind.”

Cr Neill says it is now important that Environment Canterbury discusses the implications of the recommendations with the local authorities to determine the appropriate next steps.

ENDS

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