The Star: March 30, 2023

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12 The Star Thursday March 30 2023 We’re planning for our growing city Find out what this means for your property Use our interactive map, learn more, then have your say: ccc.govt.nz/growingcity Christchurch’s housing and business development rules are changing Ōtautahi Christchurch’s population is growing. Over the next 30 years, it’s predicted we’ll need more than 40,000 new houses to ensure everyone has a place to live, and Christchurch City Council is planning for that now. Our growth challenge We need to provide for the growth of housing and business in the best locations in Christchurch, to help address issues like climate change and housing shortage. This means more houses where there’s good access to shops, services, work, school, public transport networks and infrastructure. Where there’s good reason, we also need to ensure development remains restricted or limited to protect and maintain areas of value. These changes won’t happen overnight. Over time the look and feel of the city will change, and we want to plan for that and keep what people value. A new direction in urban planning The planning rules have changed for New Zealand’s main urban areas. We need to follow the new national direction to allow greater housing and business development within Christchurch’s existing urban footprint. There are new national standards for multi-unit housing developments called the Medium-Density Residential Standards (MDRS). These aim to make it easier for denser housing developments to happen. Once they come into effect, up to three dwellings of up to three storeys can be developed on a property in Christchurch without needing to apply for a resource consent, as long as all other rules have been met. Not all parts of Christchurch are suitable for the MDRS, so we’re proposing special rules, called Qualifying Matters, apply to recognise heritage and cultural features, to protect major utility, infrastructure, and people in areas vulnerable to natural hazards, among other things. What we’re proposing We’re proposing important changes to the city’s planning rulebook, the District Plan, via two plan changes – the Housing and Business Choice Plan Change (Plan Change 14), and the Heritage Plan Change (Plan Change 13). Both plan changes were formally notified on 17 March 2023. Replacing some existing residential zones in the city with two new ones – a Medium-Density Residential Zone and a High-Density Residential Zone. The Medium-Density zone is the baseline for increasing housing in our city. The High-Density zone would allow apartment buildings and multistorey flats in the central city. Increased height limits for residential and commercial buildings in and around the central city, suburban centres and along public transport routes, as well as enabling residential development in some industrial areas around the central city and larger suburban centres. Special rules (Qualifying Matters) to limit greater development of housing and business under the MDRS, in order to better reflect our city’s environment and climate. One proposes changing recession planes to increase sunlight access from what would be possible under the MDRS. This applies citywide and means the MDRS won’t come into effect for Christchurch until 2024, when Plan Change 14 is decided on. Heritage that should be protected, with a number of new buildings, items and interiors added to the Schedule of Significant Historic Heritage. Have your say on our growing city You can make a submission on the Housing and Business Choice Plan Change (Plan Change 14) and Heritage Plan Change (Plan Change 13) until 3 May 2023. Detailed information about the plan changes and everything you need to make your submission is available at ccc.govt.nz/growingcity
Thursday March 30 2023 The Star Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz NEWS 13 Stolen Lego kits may be sold online • By Nathan Morton A CHARITY is desperate to recover about $15,000 in Lego products stolen from one of its parked vans. The Imagination Station van was broken into at the weekend while in a Wilson car park on Gloucester St overnight. It was parked near Tūranga library, where Imagination Station operates. Charity director Rachel Westaway said it was clear the theft was premeditated. She said the front lock had been broken and the thieves then smashed the back window and took several Lego kits. The kits varied in value. Westaway said the Lego taken would fill seven six-litre containers and some of the stolen products were no longer available on the market. Lego Technic, EV3 and Spike Prime were among the stolen kits. “There were specialised kits, which cost around $250 each, and some equipment isn’t made by Lego any more, like the WeDo kits. So we can’t replace them like-for-like,” Westaway said. “We’re putting an asset list together of what was taken.” Imagination Station has been operating out of Tūranga for the past three years. It was given the Wilson spot by the car park company as the charity was having difficulty finding a park near the library. Imagination Station works with children to provide education and resources using Lego technology at its play area or after-school and holiday classes. One of its key values is BREAK-IN: Imagination Station operations manager Anna Ross with the van which was broken into at a Wilson car park on Gloucester St. Left – The charity has been operating out of Tūranga for three years. accessibility, which is why it bought a charity van to transport the Lego products to different locations across the city. “(It’s) for schools and places where potentially some students can’t afford to make it to the library or where parking is an issue,” said Westaway. “So coming to them makes it easier for them to use our equipment.” Police have been notified of the theft. Westaway said it was unfortunate there were no CCTV cameras in the area. “From our perspective, we had great support from Wilson and felt really safe there for the last three years. “So it’s unfortunate somebody took it upon themselves to steal from a charity.” Westaway hopes somebody will notice the Lego products for sale. The rarity of certain products should make it easy to identify the stolen Lego if the thieves try to sell them online. “The suspicion is that they were stolen for resale,” said Westaway. “There is the potential they’ll try to sell in bulk, either through Lego or other channels online, so we want people to keep an eye out and let us know if they see anything suspicious – particularly in terms of volume. “We just want to return it to the community, no questions asked.” – NZ Herald E23/7387 CLEAN AIR FEEDBACK CLOSES 3 APRIL ecan.govt.nz/whatstheplan PLAN? What’s the 2023/24
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The Star: March 30, 2023

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