Christchurch City Council’s Yaldhurst Recreation and Sports Facility Proposal was approved on 17 December 2018 by Hon Nanaia Mahuta, acting for the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration (the Minister), under sections 69 and 71 of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 (GCR Act).
The approval was gazetted on 19 December 2018.
The Proposal amends the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and the Christchurch District Plan to rezone 466-482 Yaldhurst Road, Christchurch to Open Space Metropolitan Facilities Zone, which enables further development at the Yaldhurst Road site (known as the Christchurch Football Centre).
The amendments took effect on 19 December 2018.
The proposed development will contribute to the regeneration of sport and recreation in greater Christchurch by providing facilities to replace some of those lost or damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and also by catering for an identified additional demand.
The decision was publicly notified in The Press on Thursday 20 December 2018.
The full name of the Proposal is:
"Proposal to exercise the power under section 71 of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 to amend the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and the Christchurch District Plan to rezone 466-482 Yaldhurst Road, Christchurch to Open Space Metropolitan Facilities Zone"
Read more about the Minister announcing the approval of the Proposal on the Beehive website: Approval given to expand Sporting Facilities in Yaldhurst
On this page:
- Decision to approve the Proposal
- Overview of the Proposal
- The written submission period
- About the Proposal
- Background to the process
Decision to approve the Proposal
In making her decision, the Minister considered the Proposal, the 18 written submissions received during the written submission period, and the requirements of the GCR Act.
The powers under the GCR Act allow the Minister to approval or decline but not amend the Proposal.
Of the 18 written submissions received, 12 supported and 6 opposed the Proposal:
- Submitters who supported the Proposal felt it provides a valuable recreation and sports facility for both the local area and greater Christchurch, which will increase the social wellbeing and satisfaction of residents.
- A key concern from submitters who opposed the Proposal was the potential impact on traffic and a desire to see a reduced speed limit on Yaldhurst Road from 80km/hour to 60km/hour in the area of the facility to address traffic safety concerns (see below).
The speed limit
A reduction in the speed limit is a matter for NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider because it concerns the State Highway. Views about this should be directed to NZTA: www.nzta.govt.nz
The key themes from the submissions include:
- Noise sensitive activities
- Rural character and amenity including landscaping and lighting
- The use of section 71 to amend planning documents
Yaldhurst Sports Facility Section 71 proposal - written submissions (9 MB PDF)
Yaldhurst Sports Facility Section 71 proposal - summary of written submissions (1MB PDF)
Alternative legislative processes
Other possible processes were considered. However, no other process, at this time, would enable the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and the Christchurch District Plan to be efficiently amended.
For more information about the Minister’s decision:
The changes to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and the Christchurch District Plan came into effect on 19 December 2018.
This means Canterbury Sports Limited (CSL), which owns 466-482 Yaldhurst Road, is able to further develop the site in accordance with the amended zoning in the Christchurch District Plan.
Overview of the Proposal
The Proposal, prepared by Christchurch City Council, is about using section 71 of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 to make the necessary changes to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and Christchurch District Plan to enable further development at 466 – 482 Yaldhurst Road.
The proposed development would contribute to the regeneration of sport and recreation in greater Christchurch by providing facilities to replace some of those lost or damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and also by catering for an identified additional demand.
Using section 71 has enabled the necessary planning changes to be made in a single process.
The Minister received the Proposal developed by the Christchurch City Council together with supporting documents.
- Letter to the Minister submitting the Proposal
- Documents supporting the Proposal (concise statement of views from the strategic partners)
The written submission period
Having received the Proposal, from Christchurch City Council, the Minister made the decision to proceed with the process.
She publicly notified the Proposal in the Gazette on Friday 5 October and The Press on Saturday 6 October 2018, and invited people to give their views in writing on the Proposal.
Submissions could be made online, by email or on hardcopy forms.
Anyone could make a written submission, which had to be received by 5pm, Monday, 5 November 2018.
All the written submissions received were taken into account by the Minister in making her decision to approve the Proposal.
About the Proposal
(Please refer to the Proposal for more detail.)
Canterbury Sports Limited (CSL), a private company, has had a football venue at 466-482 Yaldhurst Road (shown on the map and known as the Christchurch Football Centre) since 2015. These include two full size artificial pitches, a full size natural turf pitch, clubroom facilities and a grandstand.
CSL initiated a project in 2017 to further develop, with joint venture partners and sporting bodies, the sports and recreation facilities at the Yaldhurst Road site and create a sports hub for a variety of sports codes. The additional facilities proposed include:
- An indoor sports stadium for netball, basketball and futsal
- A gymnastics centre and potentially an aquatic facility
The proposed facilities were defined as ‘urban activity’ in the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (CRPS) as they generally serve the urban population. However, the site was just outside the urban boundary in the CRPS.
This meant certain policy and land zoning changes to the CRPS and Christchurch District Plan (CDP) were necessary to enable the proposed developments to happen.
The Proposal, prepared by Christchurch City Council, was about using section 71 of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 to make the necessary changes to the CRPS and CDP.
Using section 71 enabled these changes to be made in a single process.
The Proposal notes the proposed developments are consistent with related strategies and plans such as: the Canterbury Spaces and Places Plan 2017, prepared by SportNZ; the Council’s Physical Recreation and Sports Strategy 2002; and Recreation and Sports Facilities Activity Management Plan 2015-2025, recognising the need for a focus on multi-code hubs.
The Proposal also notes there is a recognised demand that in the next one to three years additional facilities will be required that include indoor netball, futsal and basketball courts.
Background to the process
In developing the Proposal, the Council asked the strategic partners (Environment Canterbury, Ngai Tahu, Selwyn and Waimakariri District Councils), Regenerate Christchurch and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for feedback on a draft of the Proposal, as part of the process required by the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016.
The Council considered the feedback (see the concise summary document) and addressed the issues raised in finalising the Proposal, which was supported by Regenerate Christchurch.
The proposed development would contribute to the regeneration of sport and recreation in greater Christchurch by providing facilities to replace some of those lost or damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and catering for an identified additional demand.
The Minister acting for the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration (the Minister) publicly notified the Proposal in the Gazette on Friday 5 October and The Press on Saturday 6 October 2018, and invited people to give their views in writing on the Proposal.
All the written submissions received were taken into account by the Minister in making her decision to approve the Proposal.