East Frame development gets final approval

Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee says formalising the East and North Frame development agreement between the Crown and Fletcher Residential enables the large residential build to get underway in central Christchurch.

The agreement means Fletcher Residential’s work programme will begin by October next year with the first area of new homes being built on the corner of Latimer Square and Hereford Street, comprising an area of almost 3000 sq metres.

The residential development will be progressively built in 14 ‘superlot’ blocks, with the final area to be fully completed mid-2024.

“These developments signal the beginning of the new emphasis on populating our central city. We want a vibrant and busy CBD with at least 20,000 people living between the four avenues, and this is the Crown’s key contribution to that goal,” Mr Brownlee says.

“I’ve been very impressed with the level of private residential development that has already sprung up in reaction to the layout of the Blueprint. It supports our original new vision for a central city full of people who can live, work and enjoy hospitality and retail all within a stone’s throw in this exciting new environment.”

Steve Evans, Chief Operating Officer Housing, says Fletcher Building is delighted to have finalised the agreement with the Crown regarding the development.

“Our plan builds on our vision of creating communities, and in this instance bringing people back to live in the heart of Christchurch.”

“Now the agreement has been finalised and signed we will continue our detailed design work and hope to begin works on site in mid-2016. We will also be engaging with the wider Christchurch community in the coming months to both present the work done to date, and to allow public feedback to be provided.”

Stage One of the developments will involve four superlots; the corner of Latimer Sq and Hereford Street, the corner of Madras and Lichfield Streets, the area along Manchester Street between Hereford and Worchester Streets, and the former Orion building on Armagh Street, which will be developed into a retail and hospitality complex by February 2020.