City residents say what’s on wish list
Green, safe, affordable and sustainable, with meaningful jobs and a city that is easy to get around in.
That’s what the residents of greater Christchurch say they want from their city in 2050, according to a new survey of about 4000 people.
While residents commented on topics ranging from traffic and housing to leadership and economic growth, the desire to protect the environment emerged strongly as the No 1 wish.
The research was commissioned by the Greater Christchurch Partnership, a group of local councils and other authorities formed post-quake to shape Christchurch’s urban development.
It asked residents both face to face and online to describe the city they wanted. The responses will be put towards a 2050 plan being written by the Greater Christchurch Partnership.
Results from the survey varied very little across age groups, ethnicities and locations.
The word most residents chose to describe the greater Christchurch they would like to see was ‘‘sustainable’’.
Common themes were protection of nature including waterways, reducing the environmental footprint and concern about biodiversity, pollution and waste.
Liveability was another major theme. People wanted the city to be safe, welcoming and affordable, with vibrancy and encouragement of the arts, and quality housing. They wanted discrimination addressed and Ma¯ oritanga embraced.
Accessibility was another concern. Respondents wanted to get around easily by walking, cycling or taking public transport, with streets designed for people and less traffic congestion.
Economic viability also emerged strongly, with a desire for a strong economic foundation with meaningful job opportunities and well-funded public infrastructure and services.
More than three-quarters of those taking part in the survey came from the city council area including Banks Peninsula, with others contributing from Selwyn, Waimakariri and other districts.
Asked to identify their favourite things about greater Christchurch, they overwhelmingly identified its easy access to green space, hills, beaches, mountains and rivers.
‘‘It’s a city that has good access to nature and natural areas with a lower density than other cities,’’ said one. Another liked ‘‘that you can travel from the city to the beach and
up a mountain all in one day’’.
Christchurch’s relaxed lifestyle pleased many, with the city’s size, friendliness and sense of community attracting comment. One respondent appreciated living ‘‘in a lovely community where we feel safe and connected to both our neighbours and the natural environment’’.
Others liked the new central-city developments and river-facing amenities.
People said they disliked urban sprawl and the loss of productive land, but were divided on the push towards denser housing. One said boosting density ‘‘will make our city more compact, easy to get around and safer’’, while another said squeezing people risked losing ‘‘that sense of community that has probably decreased a lot since the 1980s.
One respondent said they would ‘‘love to see more culture/street art (like Melbourne), art and embracing various cultures’’. They said the city lacks ‘‘vibrancy, culture and diversity’’.
‘‘Expensive substandard housing just sucks the lifeblood from the most vulnerable in our society,’’ one said.
One resident said increasing the population could head Christchurch towards ‘‘another Auckland trafficdemic’’, while another said it ‘‘needs greater population including higher ethnic diversity’’.
On the economy, those surveyed mentioned the need to focus on highvalue industries, creating jobs to keep young people in the city. One said they wanted Christchurch turned ‘‘into the technological and financial hub of New Zealand . . . massive possibilities’’.
Civic engagement and decisionmaking were also addressed. One person said public input should be encouraged ‘‘. . . so that it’s not just the vested lobby groups who have their say, but ordinary people’’.
‘‘I would like us to be bold and future-focused – thinking about next generations when we make decisions today,’’ said a respondent.
Most wanted energy-efficient transport encouraged and safer cycling and walking, but a few wanted fewer cycle lanes and more car parks.
Quite a few were keen for a super city. Comments included ‘‘the time is right to expand greater Christchurch under one authority’’ and ‘‘please make this happen’’.
The city’s benefits as a business location were listed as its lifestyle, ease of getting around, national and international connections, access to talent, and a supportive, connected business community.
Disadvantages for business were the incomplete central city, the difficulty of attracting and retaining good staff, and lack of a coherent strategy for the greater city.
Young people wanted the city to be fun and family friendly, with opportunities for the arts, culture, music, festivals, events and entertainment.
They were bothered by racism, broken roads and buildings, the lack of ethnic cultures and access to affordable homes, cars and food options, and insufficient shops and attractions in the regions.
Among everyone surveyed, the four top issues listed that Christchurch is expected to face in 2050 were environmental.
In order, they were offsetting climate change, reducing pollution and waste, tackling traffic congestion, and the loss of natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
‘‘I would like us to be bold and future-focused – thinking about next generations when we make decisions today.’’
Survey respondent