Next step for 600-home development in Chch

  • Nick Smith
Building and Housing

The first reading of special legislation to enable a new 600-home development at Christchurch’s Riccarton Racecourse in Parliament today has been welcomed by Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith. 

“This legislation will amend the Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Act 1878 and the Reserves Act 1977 to progress the proposal from Riccarton Racecourse for 40 hectares of its 123-hectare reserve to be used for housing. The racecourse reserve was created in the 19th century, 20 years before the first cars arrived in New Zealand, and well before the city grew to surround the racecourse,” Dr Smith says. 

“The racecourse will benefit financially from more effective use of this land with the racecourse trustees partnering with Ngāi Tahu Property to deliver the new homes, while Christchurch will gain additional housing supply within close proximity to the city at affordable prices. Thirty per cent, or 180 of the houses from the development will be required to be priced below the Government’s KiwiSaver HomeStart grant threshold of $450,000.” 

The amendments will be made through a cognate Bill – comprised of the Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill and the Riccarton Racecourse Bill (Local Bill) – to revoke reserve status of part of the racecourse land. The Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Act is a Local Act, and under a long-established rule of Parliament, any amendment to an Act that has been passed as a Local Act must be promoted as a Local Bill by the relevant local authority – in this case, the Christchurch City Council. 

“This housing development is part of the Government’s focus on ensuring the supply of good quality, affordable housing in Christchurch post-earthquake. There is strong evidence that the city’s housing market is recovering well, with average rents falling eight per cent in the past year, and average house prices stabilising and increasing just two per cent in the past year. The combination of this project and those currently underway at Welles Street, Colombo Street and Awatea will deliver a total of more than 1000 new houses for Christchurch.” 

The two Bills have been referred to the Local Government and Environment select committee for consideration and opened to submissions from the public.