Final Say - Minister Decision on Christchurch City Council's Plan Change 14

When Council considered the recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel on Policy 3 of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (i.e. intensification within and around commercial centres), it rejected 21 recommendations. Council made alternative recommendations to the Minister to make the final decision on either the IHP recommendation or the Council recommendation. 

Of those alternative recommendations, Minister Bishop has accepted three from the Council and deferred three, meaning the remaining 14 decisions reflect the original recommendations made last year by the plan change’s Independent Hearings Panel (IHP). 

The alternative recommendations accepted include the following -

• An increased building height overlay (to 36m) for the former Stockyards at 25 Deans Avenue   

• Aligning the High Density Residential zoning for 231 Milton Street and 12 Johnson Street to parcel boundaries 

• Local Centre Intensification Precinct  around 8 of the commercial centres across the city e.g. Barrington, Prestons, Wigram. 

The alternative recommendations accepted by the Minister are now operative.

The alternative recommendations deferred include the following -

• Removal of the heritage listing and setting for Antonio Hall (265 Riccarton Road) and Daresbury House   

• Removal of Piko Residential Character Area qualifying matte

The Minister will make decisions on the deferred recommendations once the Council has made decisions on the remainder of Plan Change 14.

The Minister’s decision concludes the decision-making process only for the part of Plan Change 14 that relates to intensification around commercial centres, which the Council addressed in December 2024. However, decision-making on the remainder of Plan Change 14 is not yet complete. The Council is still required to consider the remaining recommendations from the Independent Hearings Panel, specifically those relating to medium density zoning across urban Christchurch, by 12 December 2025.