Feedback sought on proposed future housing developments in Rolleston

Last modified: 25 Jan 2021 12:31pm

Environment Canterbury is considering changing its rules to free up more land to build houses in Selwyn.

Land rezoning for new housing developments in Rolleston, Rangiora and Kaiapoi is being considered to meet future demand, as part of a public consultation.

Forecasts for growth have found that capacity for housing development in Selwyn and Waimakariri districts may not be enough to meet demand over the medium and long term (10 to 30 years).

To address this scenario, Environment Canterbury has proposed a change to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (CRPS) that will enable councils to develop plans and consult with communities on additional land for housing, through their district planning processes.

This targeted change identifies future development areas for urban housing in Rolleston, Rangiora and Kaiapoi, and provides guidance for councils when re-zoning land.

The proposed change was notified on January 16 as part of a streamlined planning process, allowing the public to have their say by submitting a written comment.

Katherine Trought, Environment Canterbury director strategy and planning, said the month-long submission process gives everyone an opportunity to look at the proposed change and have their say about the future of housing development in greater Christchurch.

“Once the submission period is over, we will carefully consider all the comments we receive and deliver a report to the Minister for the Environment that will show how the submissions have been considered and any recommended changes.”

You can make a submission, view the proposed change and find further information about the planning process online through Environment Canterbury's Have Your Say site.