Greater-Christchurch-Recovery-Update-Issue-37-October-2014.Pdf
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GREATER CHRISTCHURCH Recovery Update ISSUE 37 OCTOBER 2014 Hard at work: The foundation for the Bus Interchange takes shape. The Interchange is being constructed in a joint venture Trucks last month bringing concrete for the first pour for the main foundation slab of the Justice and Emergency Services between Australian company Thiess and Christchurch’s Southbase Construction. Precinct. The operational car park will have its own foundation slab when construction starts at a later date. Massive concrete pours for central city anchor projects Hundreds of truck-loads of concrete are being While this is the largest continuous concrete pour on an poured into the ground in the central city as the anchor project to date, ultimately it will not be the biggest “Covering 40,000 square metres foundation slabs for the Bus Interchange and the slab to be laid. The Justice and Emergency Services spread over five floors, it’s the largest Justice and Emergency Services Precinct take Precinct, when completed, will have the largest main slab multi-agency government project in shape. for an anchor project at that time, measuring about 9,600 our country’s history,” says Andrew cubic metres. The Bus Interchange pour on 23 September was the Bridgman. largest continuous concrete pour in Christchurch since The first of 10 concrete pours by main contractor Fletcher the earthquakes. Involving about 1,460 cubic metres of Construction got underway in mid September, with 32 concrete, the foundation slab was created for the Lichfield trucks making 200 deliveries of concrete over a nine-hour How much concrete? Bus Interchange: Street frontage of the central city anchor project. The period. The Justice and Emergency Services Precinct’s main • 1,460m3 of concrete continuous pour took over eight hours and about 250 truck- foundation is a 1.2-metre reinforced concrete raft slab. Each loads of concrete from three different production plants. • about 250 truck-loads to pour pour incorporates about 300 tonnes of reinforcing steel, the 90-centimetre-deep slab all placed by hand. Pours will continue on Saturdays, to Christchurch Central Development Unit Director Warwick on the 90- by 16-metre site Isaacs says the pour marks a significant moment for the minimise traffic impact, until late November. • the equivalent of filling more 13,000 city’s rebuild. than 13,000 average-sized The Justice and Emergency Services Precinct will be home bathtubs. “It is exciting to see the Bus Interchange taking shape. It is a to the Ministry of Justice; New Zealand Police; Department key anchor project and a vital component of Christchurch’s of Corrections; New Zealand Fire Service; St John; and local Justice and Emergency Services Precinct: transport plan An Accessible City where users will be and regional civil defence and emergency management • 9,600m3 of concrete sharing the streets and spaces differently to what we knew teams. • 10 separate concrete before.” pours with about 200 Ministry of Justice Chief Executive Andrew Bridgman says the truck-loads of The Bus Interchange is expected to be operational by Precinct reflects the Government’s commitment to rebuilding concrete per pour. Winter 2015. Christchurch and to delivering better public services. In the Know Land Hub Have your say on an Leadership training – find out more exciting sports hub with the community page 4 for Christchurch in mind page 5 page 8 PUB055.1410 0800 RING CERA I 0800 7464 2372 I Fax (03) 963 6382 I www.cera.govt.nz UPDATE FROM CANTERBURY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Dr Karleen Edwards Christchurch City Council Chief Executive City rents levelling out I am now four months into my role as Chief Executive of Christchurch City Council having returned from working in the health sector in Christchurch’s high rental rates are predicted to Australia. For me this role is a tremendous ease in the coming months – a welcome relief for “We expect that as these pressures ease, opportunity to make a difference in my home many of the city’s residents. the price of rentals in particular will level city. I was born and raised in Christchurch A significant increase in rentals, as well as house prices, has and then likely fall back towards normal and every day I reflect on how good it is to be market levels as the one-off impacts home. been well documented since the earthquakes. Statistics show the mean residential weekly rent in Christchurch rose lessen,” says Tom Hooper. Having witnessed what my family, friends and others from $311 in January 2011 to $410 in January this year – in the city have experienced since the earthquakes, I an increase of 32 per cent compared with just 13 per cent totally understand the physical and emotional toll the across the country. Insurance companies have signalled that almost all major earthquakes have had on this city. It is a privilege to have repairs and rebuilds will be settled by the end of 2016, a role in which the organisation I work for will play such However, rental rates are showing signs of easing now the which, once the repair programmes are complete, will a pivotal role in Christchurch’s rebuild and recovery. I recovery and rebuild are well underway. After peaking at reduce the number of households needing temporary continue to be impressed by the very big part that local $429 in April 2014, the mean residential weekly rent fell to accommodation. government plays in determining the quality of life for our $420 by August 2014. Earnings in the city have now also started to rise, although residents. Tom Hooper, Chief Executive of the Canterbury at a slower pace than the growth seen in rental or housing My role is to ensure that the Council organisation is Development Corporation, says the drivers behind prices. During the period in which the average rental price 'fit-for-purpose' and provides leadership in the rebuild the heightened prices are easing back as the rebuild increased, weekly earnings in the region grew by only and recovery of the city. progresses. 13 per cent – making life harder for some families. Our world has changed since the earthquakes and the “There were several reasons why rental house prices grew Tom Hooper says much of the final outcome in relation to Council needs to change with it. We need to work more so quickly – the immediate loss of housing stock in the the rental market and house prices will depend on how closely with our community on a way forward for the city. city, people needing temporary accommodation while quickly lost housing stock is replaced, what size houses get their houses are being repaired, and the high numbers of built and where. In this issue of the Greater Christchurch Recovery migrants and returning New Zealanders coming back to Update, you will see examples of this collaboration. help with the rebuild. “However, it’s likely that in the long run rentals will return to There is information on the In the Know Land Hub, an near the historical rate of return and house prices will move initiative in which we are key partners with EQC and “We expect that as these pressures ease, the price of back in line with national trends.” supporting agency CanCERN. It follows on from a series rentals in particular will level and then likely fall back towards of drop-in sessions that the Council hosted in St Albans normal market levels as the one-off impacts lessen,” says last month. More than 100 people came to the six drop- Tom Hooper. in sessions to find out more about a wide range The Earthquake Commission says 87 per cent of all home of issues. repairs had been carried out as of 22 September 2014 – You will also find information in this issue on consultation which will take pressure off short-term rentals. on the proposed sports hub at Ngā Puna Wai in southwest Christchurch. Over the next few months, we want to hear your views on the proposal to combine facilities for a number of sporting disciplines including an Christchurch mean residential weekly rent and median sale price athletics track, hockey turfs, indoor and outdoor tennis ChristchurchSource: Ministry mean of Business, residential Innovation weekly and Employment,rent and median REINZ sale price courts and sports fields at this site. Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, REINZ 500 500 Last month, the Council released a document outlining the financial issues it faces in the wake of the earthquakes. In order for the Council to make the right decisions for Christchurch over the next 10 years and 450 450 beyond, we are seeking residents’ input into the Long Term Plan. In this initial phase of the campaign Our City. Our Future we are encouraging residents to register online 400 400 (yourvoice.ccc.govt.nz) to tell us how they want to get involved. These are challenging times but we are making progress. 350 350 Median sale price of dwellings $000 Mean private residential weekly rent $ 300 300 250 250 Jul 11 Jul 11 Jul 08 Jul 09 Jul 10 Jul 12 Jul 13 Jul 14 Oct 11 Oct 11 Apr 11 Apr 11 Jan 11 Jan 11 Oct 08 Oct 09 Oct 10 Oct 12 Oct 13 Apr 08 Apr 09 Apr 10 Apr 12 Apr 13 Apr 14 Jan 08 Jan 09 Jan 10 Jan 12 Jan 13 Jan 14 mean residential weekly rent median dwelling sale price 2 Greater Christchurch Recovery Update - October 2014 Roger Sutton CERA Chief Executive Tangible signs of progress in the central city At this time of year public sector agencies are held to account for the public money they have spent over the last year.