Christchurch's council has approved plans to rezone some parts of the city for more intensive housing, as an alternative to the Government's intensification plans.
Some Christchurch suburbs could now be seeing three, three story dwellings per section.
Yesterday, the Christchurch City Council agreed to send a formal request to Housing Minister Chris Bishop asking to allow the city to opt out of the Government's housing intensification plan.
To apply for the withdrawal before the Government’s December 12 deadline, the council was required to zone land for enough housing to meet 30 years of expected “high growth” demand, with a further 20 per cent added to that figure as a buffer.
In total, Christchurch needed some 65,600 commercially viable houses to be enabled.
Under existing rules, 58,900 commercially viable homes were already allowed for.
If the council didn't find a way to meet the 65,600 threshold, in December it ran the risk of having medium density rules applied across the city.
Under Medium-Density Residential Standards (MDRS), up to three dwellings of up to three storeys can be developed on a property, without needing to apply for resource consent, assuming all other conditions have been met.
Suburbs significantly affected by this week's rezoning decision include those directly surrounding the CBD, as well as Papanui, and Riccarton. Smaller rezoning areas have also been approved in Hornby, Belfast, and Halswell.
Mayor Phil Mauger said the decision will help direct the city towards a better future.
“MDRS across all our residential areas was never the best fit for Christchurch, and, because of this, we’ve worked hard over the past few years on a plan change process that’s had to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation.”
Mauger said it’s crucial that there is more than enough housing capacity built into future planning.
Spreydon Councillor Melanie Coker said she understands the concerns of current homeowners who are experiencing their neighbourhood's change. “It comes as a shock to people and is creating areas that are in a transition phase.”
Coker said it was difficult for people to digest, but it did deliver new homes for those that needed them.
The council will publish an interactive map on its Plan Change 14 webpage so people can see how the changes will apply to them.
