Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 1 of 59 BEFORE THE CHRISTCHURCH REPLACEMENT DISTRICT PLAN INDEPENDENT HEARINGS PANEL IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Canterbury Earthquake (Christchurch Replacement District Plan) Order 2014 AND IN THE MATTER of the Central City (Schools) and (Tertiary Education) Proposal STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF GLENDA MARGARET DIXON ON BEHALF OF CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL AND TERTIARY EDUCATION ZONES PLANNING 16 DECEMBER 2015 Barristers & Solicitors J G A Winchester / S J Scott / C J McCallum Telephone: +64-3-968 4018 Facsimile: +64-3-379 5023 Email: [email protected] PO Box 874 SOLICITORS CHRISTCHURCH 8140 Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 2 of 59 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. SCOPE ..................................................................................................................................... 2 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 3 4. CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL ZONE - AMENDMENTS RESULTING FROM CROWN SUBMISSION #3721 ....................................................................................................................... 5 5. CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL ZONE - COMMUNITY AND SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES ............... 6 6. CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL ZONE - CHRIST'S COLLEGE ZONING AND MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT ......................................................................................................................... 7 7. CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL ZONE - CHURCH PROPERTY TRUSTEES SUBMISSION #3670 - ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL SITE ........................................................................................ 9 8. CENTRAL CITY TERTIARY EDUCATION ZONE - AMENDMENTS RESULTING FROM CPIT SUBMISSION #3277 ........................................................................................................... 10 9. OTHER MATTERS ................................................................................................................ 11 10. DEFINITIONS ..................................................................................................................... 11 Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 3 of 59 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 My full name is Glenda Margaret Dixon. My experience and qualifications are set out in my evidence in chief for the Stage 2 hearing of the Specific Purposes School and Tertiary Education zones (Chapter 21) Proposal, dated 6 October 2015. I also provided evidence on Stage 3 Proposal 10, State Integrated Schools designations, dated 27 November 2015. 1.2 I have now been asked to provide evidence in relation to the Central City Specific Purpose School (CCS) and Tertiary Education (CCTE) zones, and on the matters raised by submitters. 1.3 I confirm that I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014 and that I agree to comply with it. I confirm that I have considered all the material facts that I am aware of that might alter or detract from the opinions that I express, and that this evidence is within my area of expertise, except where I state that I am relying on the evidence of another person. The Council, as my employer, has agreed to me giving expert evidence on its behalf in accordance with my duties under the Code of Conduct. 1.4 The key documents I have used, or referred to, in forming my view while preparing this brief of evidence are: (a) The Resource Management Act 1991; (b) The Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (CRPS); (c) Recovery Strategy for Greater Christchurch, CERA, 2012; (d) Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, CERA, 2012 (CCRP), and "A Liveable City", CERA, January 2015; (e) The Order in Council (OIC) and in particular the Minister's Statement of Expectations (SOE); (f) The Panel's decision on the Strategic Directions Chapter including the overarching Objectives; (g) The operative Christchurch City Plan; and (h) Submissions relating to the CCS and CCTE Zones. 1 27172796_1.docx Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 4 of 59 2. SCOPE 2.1 The specific parts of the Proposal that my evidence relates to are set out below, and in response to the submissions by the Council (#3723) and the Crown (#3721), these have been incorporated into the Chapter 21 Specific Purpose Zone Proposal: (a) 13.8.1 Central City School zone; and (b) 13.8.2 Central City Tertiary Education zone. 2.2 My evidence addresses the specific relief sought by various submitters. I have read the evidence of Ms Jenny May filed in the Natural and Cultural Heritage hearing dated 3 December 2015 (at section 8), in relation to Christ's College's submission #3212 and the historic heritage value of the cottage at the corner of Montreal and Gloucester St (325 Montreal Street). I note however that this site already has a School zoning, so is not part of the rezoning sought and accepted in my evidence and shown at Attachment G. 2.3 I have also read the evidence of Ms Bridget O'Brien and Mr Paul Dickson in regard to wastewater and stormwater disposal in the Central City and I rely on their evidence. 2.4 The Council's Statement of Issues for the Prehearing Meeting on 27 October 2015 sets out the issues, which my evidence will address throughout. 2.5 My evidence has the following attachments: (a) Attachment A – Revised Proposal for Chapter 21.6 – Schools (Revised School Proposal); (b) Attachment B - Accept/Reject Table for Chapter 21.6 - Schools; (c) Attachment C – Addendum to Section 32 for Chapter 21.6 – Schools; (d) Attachment D: Revised Proposal for Chapter 21.7 – Tertiary (Revised Tertiary Proposal); (e) Attachment E - Accept / Reject Table for Chapter 21.7 - Tertiary; (f) Attachment F – Addendum to Section 32 for Chapter 21.7 – Tertiary; 27172796_1.docx 2 Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 5 of 59 (g) Attachment G - Rezoning of land around Armagh and Gloucester Streets from Central City Residential (CCR) zone to SPS Zone; and (h) Attachment H - Rezoning of 95 Tuam Street from CCS to Central City Business (CCB) Zone. 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3.1 Central City chapter provisions for Schools and Tertiary Education have been incorporated into Chapter 21.6 Specific Purposes School Zone and Chapter 21.7 Specific Purposes Tertiary Education Zone. 3.2 Many, but not all, of the changes sought in submissions on the Central City education zones were the same as those sought in Stage 2 on Chapter 21. Agreement on all submission points has been reached through recommended changes to the wording of Chapter 21, and agreed at mediation. 3.3 Two rezonings are recommended in response to submissions, and these are discussed in sections 7 & 8 below. They are rezoning of several properties owned by Christs College east of Rolleston Avenue from Central City Residential as in the CCRP to Specific Purposes School Zone, and rezoning of 95 Tuam Street from Central City School Zone to Central City Business Zone. BACKGROUND TO CENTRAL CITY SCHOOL AND TERTIARY EDUCATION ZONES 3.1 The CCS as notified lists the following schools, which are in addition to those located outside of the Central City and therefore already listed in Chapter 21: (a) two state schools; (b) two state integrated schools (a central city state integrated school, Marian College had been in the Chapter 21 list originally because of its former suburban location); and (c) four private schools 1. 3.2 The only site zoned Tertiary Education in the Central City, the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) Madras Street site, has been added 1 The Academy is a tertiary institution but has been given a school zoning because its built form is much more similar to other schools, than to the built forms of the University of Canterbury or the Christchurch Polytechnic and Institute of Technology. 27172796_1.docx 3 Glenda Dixon 3723 CCC Page 6 of 59 to Chapter 21 to make a total of six Tertiary Education zoned sites, three each for the University of Canterbury and CPIT. 3.3 Significant changes have occurred and are occurring in the education sector in Christchurch at present as a result of the earthquakes, necessitating considerable rebuilding and redevelopment. In my previous evidence on schools, I stated that compared to the operative Cultural 3 zone, the new School Zone promotes more flexibility and efficiency in the use of school sites, with fewer and less restrictive rules, while at the same time not compromising the amenity of adjoining land uses (see pages 7-8 of Attachment C to my evidence-in-chief dated 6 October 2015). As well, School Zone objectives and policies have been amended in the Revised Chapter 21 to recognise and endorse the trend towards shared school and community use, where such use is compatible with and secondary to the use of sites for education activity. 3.4 Change in the tertiary education sector in Christchurch has also been accelerated by the Canterbury earthquakes. Within the Central City, I understand that extensive damage to CPIT buildings at the main (Madras Street) site has led to a major repair and rebuilding programme, allowing the creation of more efficient and logical "precinct" areas, based on a master plan. The relative lack of residential neighbours mean that significantly more permissive rules can apply to the CPIT main site in the Central City than to the other two CPIT sites outside the Central City. Changes to the objectives and policies as a result of amendments to the base Chapter 21 Tertiary Education provisions have