Site cleared for homes, Niwa hub
Up to 80 homes and a new Crownowned research base could be built in Christchurch on land formerly occupied by a city works depot.
The 2.7-hectare site on Milton St in Sydenham has operated for several years as a works depot for Christchurch City Council-owned maintenance firm Citycare.
Citycare moved to another depot in the west of the city at the end of June and demolition work began soon after.
The land, ultimately owned by the Christchurch City Council, has now been split into three sections.
About half the site is earmarked for a sustainable residential development of between 60 and 80 homes and Niwa is considering building a new facility for research and applied science. If funding is approved by the Government, the building would replace Niwa’s ageing facility in Riccarton.
The third smaller section of land is already occupied by a pump station and the city council is building a new water tank to replace temporary tanks put on site following the 2011 earthquakes.
Power distribution company Orion also has a substation on the site and plans to put in a new underground power cable from Milton St to Bromley.
Cath Carter, urban development general manager for ChristchurchNZ, the council’s economic development agency, said the housing development would be within walking distance to shops, cycleways and the central city.
She said the development, next to Sydenham Park, aligned with the council’s community outcomes, which promoted well-designed and affordable houses located within green, people-focused neighbourhoods close to jobs, services, recreation.
A developer has yet been chosen to build the homes.
Carter said ChristchurchNZ would call for interest from developers next year.
The process is similar to one ChristchurchNZ conducted at the former Central New Brighton School site, where more than 65 new homes are being built by a private developer.
The site was an excellent example of what the city could achieve when it leveraged urban development opportunities linking to wider city and regional goals, Carter said.
‘‘We get better outcomes by working alongside other agencies and the private sector to guide or ‘master plan’ what happens on the site.’’
Niwa, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, was granted a resource consent last week to build a two-storey building, facing Milton St, to house offices and laboratories.
The application said the Niwa facility would be a better neighbour than the former Citycare operation and a city council planning officer agreed.
The officer concluded the adverse effects on the wider environment would be less than minor and there would be no affected people.
However, the Niwa development still has to be approved by the Government.
A Niwa spokesperson said significant investment decisions were taken once a business case had been prepared and endorsed by ministers. That was expected to happen ‘‘within the coming months’’.
‘‘We get better outcomes by working alongside other agencies and the private sector to guide or ‘master plan’ what happens on the site.’’ Cath Carter Urban development general manager for ChristchurchNZ