Feedback sought on port plan

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is inviting public comment on a draft recovery plan for the damaged Lyttelton Port and its surrounding area.

The Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan will be publicly notified and available on Saturday, and feedback is due by 5pm on Monday 31 August 2015.  While the focus of the draft plan is the rebuild and repair of Lyttelton Port following the earthquakes, it also takes into account the effect of the work on the Lyttelton and greater Christchurch communities.

“In June last year I gave a direction, using the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act, that a recovery plan be prepared for Lyttelton Port,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The port is playing an essential role in the economic recovery of greater Christchurch and this recovery plan will provide certainty on how its repair and rebuild can be achieved.

“The Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan has been developed to provide for the repair, rebuild and reconfiguration of Lyttelton Port, while taking into account matters such as the impact on the local community and users of the port, and any implications for transport and potential effects on the coastal marine area.

“Environment Canterbury has already run a robust consultation process on the Preliminary Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan, including a public hearing, following on from the feedback gathered by the Lyttelton Port Company on its Port Lyttelton Plan.

“A number of issues have already been raised by the public and considered in this process by Environment Canterbury.  This final round of written comment allows me to take into account any evidence, issues or concerns the public may wish to raise.”

The Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan will be available to view online from Saturday at www.cera.govt.nz/lprp and comment can be made there on an online form.

Alternatively, comments forms can be emailed to info@cera.govt.nz, or posted to Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan, Freepost CERA, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, Private Bag 4999, Christchurch 8140.

Printed versions of the Draft Recovery Plan will be available at CERA's offices at Level 8, HSBC Tower, 62 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch, and libraries and service centres in Christchurch City, and the Selwyn and Waimakariri districts, by midday on Monday 17 August.

It is expected that a decision on whether or not to approve the Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan, with or without changes, will be made by the end of October.

The Lyttelton Port Company and Environment Canterbury’s previous consultation and technical documents on the Port Lyttelton Plan and the Preliminary Draft Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan can be found at www.ecan.govt.nz/our-responsibilities/regional-plans/lpr-plan/