Akaroa Basin study released for consultation

The latest phase in a Christchurch City Council study on the urban settlements of the Akaroa Harbour Basin has been completed, with the release today of an options document for public consultation.

The Akaroa Harbour Basin Settlements Study is a strategic issues and options study of the eight settlements in the basin: Wainui, Tikao Bay, French Farm, Barrys Bay, Duvauchelle, Robinsons Bay, Takamatua and Akaroa.

Consultation on the study closes at 5pm on 6 April.

The Settlements Study started in 2007 with the preparation of an Identifying the Issues discussion document. The document identified a wide range of issues relating to the natural, social, physical and economic environment, as well as subdivisions and the management of urban change. Project leader and council senior policy planner Carolyn Bonis said consultation on that document, combined with further information gathering had meant that Council staff now had a good understanding of the issues for the eight settlements.

The next step for staff has been to identify and evaluate a range of potential options for resolving the issues. “These options are primarily potential future work programmes. Preferred work programme options have been identified and public feedback is now being sought to determine whether the options have been correctly identified and ranked,” Ms Bonis said.

The preferred work programme options include detailed planning studies for Wainui, Duvauchelle, Takamatua and Akaroa. Such studies would look at how urban growth pressures should be managed into the future, and would enable the Council to be proactive, rather than reactive, in managing any future growth demands for these settlements, she said.

Another key work programme is an Akaroa Places and Spaces Plan for managing public spaces and publicly-owned land in Akaroa. This Plan would provide direction as to how the areas should be used and developed into the future and would look at matters such as traffic management and pedestrian access, guidelines for public works and infrastructure, public art, tourist facilities (eg public toilets) and future uses for the BP Meats site, Ms Bonis said.

Public consultation on all the work programme options will revolve around a series of interactive information days in Christchurch , Duvauchelle and Akaroa, at which the public can drop in any time during the sessions to view displays, indicate their priorities for options and talk to Council staff.

The information days are:

Christchurch: South Library, Sydenham
Saturday 7 March 11am-3pm
Sunday 8 March 11am-3pm
Duvauchelle: Duvauchelle Hall
Saturday 21 March 11am-4pm
Akaroa: Gaiety Hall
Sunday 22 March 1pm-5pm
Monday 23 March 10am-3pm

An issues and options report and a summary of the options is available:
· at the Akaroa Service Centre, Akaroa Library and the Civic Offices, Tuam Street.
· on the project website: www.ccc.govt.nz/AreaPlans/AkaroaHarbourBasin; or by
· contacting the Council directly at AkaroaHarbourBasin@ccc.govt.nz or phone 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 (for Banks Peninsula residents only)

Feedback and comments can be provided by completing a submission form. Hard copies are available with the summary document and can be posted to the Christchurch City Council, PO Box 237, Christchurch. Online forms can be completed at www.ccc.govt.nz/HaveYourSay/


For more information contact: Carolyn Bonis, project leader and senior policy planner, 941 8930 or Dale Harris, assistant policy planner, 941 8579.