Chch City Council to host public meeting about planning issues

Mayor Garry Moore and City Council staff are planning a public meeting later this month to provide information for interested Christchurch residents about topical planning issues, including high-rise offices in industrial zones and along the coast.

The date for this meeting is still to be set. However, it will include information about the resource consent process and an explanation of how a resource consent was granted for a proposed office tower which, if it went ahead, would overlook the estuary at Ferrymead.

Mr Moore says the Council wanted to encourage the public to learn more about the city’s growth and how that was being planned for.

“There’s obviously some interest in this one proposed development and, in a way, we welcome the controversy because it’s getting people interested in what is a very complicated part of Council’s activity,” Mr Moore says. “On the other hand, it’s important to understand that this business about high rises and where they can or should be allowed to go is just one of a quite long list of important planning issues the Council has on its books.

“Last year the Council decided we couldn’t continue dealing with these issues on a bit-by-bit basis and needed to have a look at all issues and set some priorities. A report which will help us with that is coming to the Council early in March.”

Mr Moore says one role of local bodies is to work with the community and interest groups to create long-term plans so that people and businesses have some certainty about the future.

“Nobody would suggest any town plan’s perfect but our Council staff deal with thousands and thousands of building and resource matters every year and very few of them create problems,” Mr Moore says. “Another point worth remembering is that Christchurch and the surrounding areas are dynamic and growing pretty strongly. That creates pressure on planning, but it’s also positive for jobs and investment and innovation.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media