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Christchurch Central City Revitalisation Plan: Accommodating 30,000 Residents into Christchurch’s Four Avenues A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University by Susan Anderson Lincoln University 2010 Christchurch Central City Revitalisaon Plan: Accommodang 30,000 Residents into Christchurch’s Four Avenues Abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture. Christchurch Central City Revitalisation Plan: Accommodating 30,000 Residents into Christchurch’s Four Avenues by Susan Anderson Abstract Over the past few years Christchurch’s Central City has fallen into a decaying state. Many key retailers, commercial, industry and residential dwellers have moved to the outer suburbs. Creating multiple sub-centres and leaving Christchurch with a broken heart. The Christchurch City Council is committed to revitalising the Central City in order to create a world class city with a vibrant heart (Christchurch City Council, 2006). One of the key goals of the Central City revitalisation is to increase the residential population to 30,000 by 2026. This dissertation takes a critical look at this goal and investigates whether this goal is achievable and if so, what the limitations or tradeoffs that need to be made to achieve it and demonstrates what the city may look like. The method of research through design has been used to investigate this research question and to test the 30,000 residents’ goal. This has been done though modelling, density testing and establishing three landscape focused scenarios to test this goal within the current Central City infrastructure. Through testing the current and predicted densities of the Central City, it is apparent that the current density of the Central City is exceptionally low by international standards. It has also been established that the current zonings and development patterns are not suitable to encourage development and the residential population increase like that the City Council is aiming for. The target goal of 30,000 is achievable. The challenge is, how this residential development is is going to be implemented, in order to create a central city that is an appealing and desirable place to visit and live. As well as keeping the current character and creating an identity that is unique to Christchurch. This dissertation is not intended to be a final solution to the Central City revitalisation but more a stepping stone in the process of regenerating and establishing a vibrant city centre. The creation of a successful city centre is not solely through the introduction of more residential population but through may parallel projects and initiatives working towards the same goal. Keywords: Central City, Density, Revitalisation, Modelling, Scenario Testing, Residential Population, Mixed use, Research Through Design, Spacemate, Four Avenues, Central City Revitalisation Plan (CCRP), Donut City, Character of Christchurch, Sustainable City Acknowledgements I would firstly like to thank my two supervisors Jacky Bowring and Shannon Davis. I was lucky enough to be supervised by you both and your support, guidance and knowledge has helped me shape my dissertation into the document it is today. For that I am truly grateful. Also thank you to everyone and anyone who helped me along the way through sharing their knowledge, views or opinions on this topic. This dissertation has sparked many long conversations regarding the central city and what is right or wrong, all of which has helped me in producing this final dissertation. I would also like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through this study and all the help and guidance you have giving me over the past year of study has been very much appreciated. Thank you Susan Table of contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 5 Contents 7 List of figures 8 1.0 – Introduction 11 1.1 – Introduction to Christchurch 13 1.2 – Introduction to Project 28 2.0 – Review of Literature 37 2.1 – Density 38 2.2 – Mixed Use 38 2.3 – Heritage 38 2.4 – Open Space 39 2.5 – Transport 39 2.6 – Donut City 40 2.7 – Summary 40 3.0 – Methodology 41 4.0 – Research Through Design 43 4.1 – Density 44 4.2 – Spacemate 50 4.3 – Density models 57 4.4 – Models vs Central City 75 4.5 – Scenarios 78 5.0 – General Discussion and Conclusion 93 6.0 – References 97 List of Figures Figure 1: Original Plan of Christchurch 12 Figure 2a: Context Map. Christchurch in Context of South Pacific 13 Figure 2b: Context Map. Christchurch in Context of New Zealand 13 Figure 3: Current Christchurch City with Central City Highlighted 14 Figure 4: Population Percentages 15 Figure 5: Percentage of People Living and Working in the Central City and Their Modes of Transport 16 Figure 6: Percentage of Separate Houses in the Central City Compared with Christchurch City 16 Figure 7: Percentage of Flat/Units in Central City Compared with Christchurch City 16 Figure 8: Employment Numbers in the Central City 17 Figure 9: Proportion of Businesses in the Central City 17 Figure 10: Amount of Retail Space in the Central City in Comparison to Christchurch 18 Figure 11: Location of Major Shopping Areas 18 Figure 12: Amount of Accommodation in the Central City 19 Figure 13: Percentage of out of Town Visitors to the Central City 19 Figure 14: Study Area 21 Figure 15: Planning Zones 22 Figure 16: Transport Network 23 Figure 17: Open Space 24 Figure 18: Walkability 25 Figure 19: Heritage Buildings 26 Figure 20: Special Amenity Areas (SAMs) 27 Figure 21: Donut City Example 29 Figure 22: Christchurch the ‘Donut City’ with a Hole in the Centre 29 Figure 23a: Christchurch 30 Figure 23b: Seattle 30 Figure 23c: Wellington 30 Figure 23d: Perth 31 Figure 23e: Adelaide 31 Figure 23f: Copenhagen 31 Figure 23g: Sydney 31 Figure 24: UDS table of Predicted Densities 32 Figure 25: Dwelling per Hectare Example 33 Figure 26: Section 1 34 Figure 27: Section 2 34 Figure 28: Net Population Density of Christchurch Living Zones, 2001 35 Figure 29: Key Points from Literature Review 40 Figure 30: Methodology 42 Figure 31: Total Amount of Residential Buildings Including Heritage 48 Figure 32: Total Amount of Heritage Buildings 48 Figure 33: Total Amount of Residential Buildings to Accommodate 30,000 49 Figure 34: Total Buildings 49 Figure 35: Spacemate Variables 50 Figure 36: Spacemate Graph 51 Figure 37: Spacemate Transformations 52 Figure 38: Land Development Typologies 53 Figure 39: Urbanisation 54 Figure 40: Typologies of Non-Built Space One 54 Figure 41: Typologies of Non-Built Space Two 54 Figure 42: Spacemate Graph Areas 55 Figure 43: Spacemate Axis 56 Figure 44: Models on Spacemate Graph 73 Figure 45: Models in Comparison to Current Space within the Central City 76 Figure 46: Space of Models Compared with Current Available Space in Central City 77 Figure 47: Table of Assumptions 78 Figure 48: Scenario Flow Chart 79 Figure 49: Scenario One Plan 80 Figure 50: Scenario One Comparison: Christchurch 80 Figure 54: Scenario One Flow Chart 81 Figure 55: Scenario Two Plan 82 Figure 53: Scenario Two Comparison: Copenhagen 82 Figure 54: Scenario Two Flow Chart 83 Figure 55: Scenario Three Plan 84 Figure 56: Scenario Three Comparison: Singapore 84 Figure 57: Scenario Three Flow Chart 85 Figure 58: Density Scenario Two 87 Figure 59: Mixed Use Scenario Two 87 Figure 60: Amount of Models and which Density Needed 88 Figure 61: Combination of Models with Total Space Axo 89 Figure 62: Combination of Models with Total Space Plan 89 Figure 63: Density and Other Features 90 Figure 64: Mixed Use and Other Features 91 List of Tables Table 1: International City Densities 33 Table 2: Christchurch City Plan Densities 44 Table 3: Spacemate Values and City Plan Densities 72 Table 4: Model Information 75 Table 5: SWOT Analysis for Scenario 2 86 10 1.0 – Introduction 11 Figure 1: Original Plan of Christchurch Bealey Rolleston Fitzgerald Moorhouse 12 1.1 – Introduction to Christchurch city Christchurch officially became a city in 1856, making it New Zealand’s oldest city. Christchurch was built off a pre-drawn plan brought from England, which included Barbadoes Cemetery, Hagley Park and Cathedral, Latimer and Cranmer Squares. The original urban area of Christchurch was confined within four town belts, which were later re-named after four of the city’s first superintendents; Bealey, Rolleston, Moorhouse and Fitzgerald (see Figure 1). These four avenues formed a walking city core of around 450 Hectares. Christchurch City has now grown out to cover 45,240 Hectares (http://www.christchurch.org. nz/About/), but the Four Avenues still remain as the identifiable edge of the Central City, the Four Avenues are today used to define the scope of Christchurch City Council’s Central City Revitalisation Plan. “The success of Christchurch is tied directly to the success of our Central City. The centre’s importance is borne out through its historical significance as the birthplace of our community, its current role as the commercial, cultural and social centre of the region and its importance in ensuring that Christchurch and Canterbury continues to grow as dynamic places to live and work” (Christchurch City Council [CCC], 2006, p 2).