12 Feb 2024

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More trees, green spaces, and enhanced pedestrian routes are part of the draft vision for Christchurch’s South-East Central neighbourhood.

South-East Central covers the area bordered by Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue, Colombo Street, St Asaph Street, Manchester Street and Armagh Street. 

 Fast facts 
  • Over 450 new homes have been built since 2018.
  • Almost 200 more homes under construction or in the consenting process.
  • Around 70,000 square meters of vacant land.
  • Te Kaha will regularly bring up to 36,000 eventgoers into the area from 2026 when the venue opens.
  • Over 600 ideas gathered as early feedback from the community in 2023.
  • 54% of the area’s residents are under the age of 29.

Key landmarks include Te Kaha, Latimer Square, Te Pūkenga (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology), and the SALT District. It also includes many commercial properties.  

Christchurch City Council Head of City Growth and Property Bruce Rendall says the area is poised to undergo significant change over the next ten years.

“With Te Kaha coming online in 2026, and a number of housing and commercial developments in the pipeline, it’s important to have a strong and cohesive vision for the future of the South-East Central neighbourhood,” Mr Rendall says.

The community were invited to share their ideas for the neighbourhood from 26 June to 24 July 2023.

“We’ve heard from the community that people want to see a healthy, green neighbourhood that is easy to get around, with quality housing and vibrant commercial areas, and a strong sense of community.”

“The draft South-East Central Neighbourhood Plan has been built around these key themes and outlines a range of actions that the Council, Council partners and the community can work towards collectively to guide the area in this direction.”

The draft neighbourhood plan aims to guide the area’s development over the next ten years.

“The community told us that increasing the number of trees, ensuring it’s easy to move around the neighbourhood, and supporting owners of vacant land to develop their sites would contribute to creating a vibrant, attractive, and cohesive neighbourhood,” says Mr Rendall.

The Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board will consider the draft plan at their meeting on Thursday. If endorsed, it will then go out for community consultation in early March.

Read the draft South-East Central Neighbourhood Plan here.