Public feedback invited on proposed arena noise rules

People can have their say on proposed central city planning rule changes to manage Canterbury Multi-Use Arena (CMUA) noise during concerts and large events that will be held at the state-of-the-art facility.

The 25,000-seat, 36,000-capacity covered arena is the final anchor project in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan and its ability to host All Black tests, Football World Cup qualifiers, big concerts and events will help enhance Canterbury’s sporting and cultural identity, and boost the city’s economy and vitality.

Proposed amendments include introducing noise limits for concerts, PA systems and bass noise, a concert finishing time of 11pm (except for New Year’s Eve, when concerts could go until 12:30am), a cap of 15 louder concert days per calendar year to give residents certainty about the frequency of events, a requirement for noise management plan, real-time compliance monitoring, and an amended noise insulation rule for new buildings in the area.

Preparation work for the $473 million anchor project, to be built on a site bordered by Hereford, Tuam, Madras and Barbadoes Streets, is under way and early works are due to start later this year.

Before work progresses further the Council wants to amend the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan (CCRP) and the Christchurch District Plan so it can effectively manage noise from the Arena, while still supporting regeneration in the central city.

Council Head of Planning and Strategic Policy David Griffiths says the feedback the Council received in August 2020 from residents and businesses on how to manage noise has helped develop the proposed measures.

“Last year’s feedback helped inform conditions for the Arena and rules for surrounding activity that we think would be appropriate to manage noise effectively, while still ensuring the Arena can operate successfully and be the attraction that the city needs it to be,” Mr Griffiths says.

“We believe these proposed measures provide an appropriate balance that enables the Arena to achieve economic and social benefits for the city, while still managing noise for nearby neighbours, and are interested to hear what people think,” says Mr Griffiths.

People can provide feedback on the proposed amendments to the Central City Recovery Plan and District Plan in respect to the CMUA by visiting the Have Your Say page.

Feedback closes on 1 March 2021.

The Canterbury Multi-Use Arena is scheduled to open by the end of 2024.

For more information and regular updates on the CMUA, visit canterburyarena.co.nz.