South Frame public space designs revealed

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says plans released today for the South Frame public spaces give a more visual idea of how the central city will link up using a new green-way connection.

“The South Frame is the part of the city blueprint which joins the Health Precinct to the Innovation Precinct,” Mr Brownlee says.

“It will feature an urban neighbourhood with a leafy campus-style design.”

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has released the designs for the public areas which show how the green spaces will be created.  More than half of the area, which comprises seven city blocks, is currently uninhabited and this plan creates new opportunity for its neighbours.

“This design shows the combination of the new green-way, the laneways and yards, and is a good indication of how this new public space will really open the area up,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Traditionally this has been a more light-industrial area with car yards and other businesses.

“When we had the opportunity to redesign the CBD after the earthquakes, we took care to find a way to embrace this southern border of the central business area and make it a welcoming combination of educational facilities, health facilities and housing, as well as boutique retail.

“Up to $20 million has been budgeted for development of the public spaces, allowing for a new area of community activity, with scope for weekend festivals and markets.

“I’m confident the South Frame will become a much more vibrant area of the city,” Mr Brownlee says.

The plans and their resource consent application will be considered through the Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury processes in the coming weeks.  It is hoped early works can begin in the first quarter of 2016.