Crown, Council refresh Cost Sharing Agreement
21m ago
Christchurch City Council will take ownership of the Margaret Mahy Family Playground, the Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct
and the Bus Interchange as part of a proposed update of the Crown/Council Cost Sharing Agreement.
It is also proposed the Council takes ownership of all the residential red zone land purchased by the Crown on the Port
Hills and in Brooklands and Southshore.
The Cabinet agreed to the refresh yesterday. The proposal is outlined in a report which will be considered by the
Council at its meeting on Thursday.
“When the Council and the Crown signed the Cost Sharing Agreement in 2013 there was always an expectation that some
arrangements in the agreement would be revisited as progress was made on the infrastructure rebuild programme and the
anchor projects,’’ Mayor Lianne Dalziel said.
“These proposed new arrangements give us certainty and is another positive step forward for local leadership,’’ Mayor
Lianne Dalziel said.
The refreshed Cost Sharing Agreement provides for:
• The Crown transferring ownership of the Bus Interchange to the Council for $23 million (the Council’s contribution
under the CSA).
• The Crown transferring ownership of all Port Hills residential red zone land to the Council for $39 million. The
original Cost Sharing Agreement provided for the Council taking ownership of half the land, adjacent to Council
reserves.
• The Crown transferring the ownership of residential red zone land in Brooklands and Southshore to the Council at no
cost.
• The Crown transferring the Margaret Mahy Playground and the Otakaro/Avon River Precinct to the Council for $13 million
as per the CSA
The proposed changes to the Cost Sharing Agreement has implications for the Council in terms of maintaining the
residential red zone land but it had already made allowances in its budget for the capital costs so it would not further
impact ratepayers.
It had also factored into its budgets operating costs for the Margaret Mahy Playground, the Otakaro/Avon River Precinct
and the Bus Interchange.
“We will need to look at developing operating budgets for the cost of maintaining the residential red zone land as part
of 2018-28 Long Term Plan.
“It is possible that we will be able to offset some of the costs by selling some of the red zone land on the Port Hills
where the hazard risk has been mitigated,’’ Ms Dalziel said.
Detail, including an agreed timing for the transfer of land and assets, is expected to be determined in the coming
weeks.
This concludes any discussions on refreshing the Crown/Council Cost Sharing Agreement until after the central government
elections.