Canterbury/Waitaha has a network of urban areas, which vary in their size, role, and character. 

Christchurch/Ōtautahi is New Zealand’s second largest city with a population of nearly 400,000 people. Greater Christchurch/Ōtautahi, comprising Christchurch City and the surrounding towns in Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts, is the largest urban area in the region, with around half a million people, or 82 percent of the region’s population.  Here we look at the urban development issues facing our region that inform our planning framework.