Urban context and policy direction
Urban development and the physical expansion of urban areas can have significant effects on the sustainable management of natural and physical resources.
Unplanned or poorly planned growth leads to less functional urban areas that do not serve the needs and interests of the environment, urban communities or provide for their long-term wellbeing.
In contrast, effectively planned growth will produce well-functioning quality urban environments with good amenity values.
We work collaboratively with district and city councils to manage urban development issues across the region.
Since 2003, we have worked with councils, government agencies, and more recently, iwi as part of the Greater Christchurch Partnership to plan for and manage urban growth and development in Greater Christchurch/Ōtautahi.
Population
Waitaha has the second largest population of regions in New Zealand/Aotearoa and is home to the largest city in the South Island/Te Waipounamu, Christchurch/Ōtautahi. The estimated population of Waitaha on 30 June 2021 was 649,800 people. 82 percent of this estimated population live in Greater Christchurch/Ōtautahi (Christchurch City/Ōtautahi, Waimakariri and Selwyn Districts).
The population in Waitaha has an uneven distribution and range of settlement sizes. As shown in Figure 1, Waitaha has a range of medium urban areas, small urban areas, rural settlements, and a major urban area.
Figure 1: Settlement distribution in Waitaha
National direction
National Policy Statement for Urban Development 2020
The National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD) requires councils to meet expected demand for housing and business land over the short, medium, and long term. The NPS-UD enables more intensification, with greater concentration of housing in locations that have good access to existing services, public transport networks and infrastructure, and has a focus on well-functioning urban environments. The Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and district plans must incorporate the requirements of the NPS-UD 2020.
The demand to provide for new development has become more urgent as issues relating to housing affordability and supply have intensified in New Zealand/Aotearoa. However, the housing shortages and affordability issues are less extreme in Waitaha than in many other areas in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022
The National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022 directs councils to protect highly productive rural land for use in land-based primary production.
This is to be achieved by making it more difficult to subdivide and develop highly productive land for other uses. That said, the NPS-HPL makes allowances for development intended to give effect to the NPS-UD, for example specified infrastructure development and aggregate extraction which provides significant national or regional public benefit.
The NPS-HPL requires regional councils, by October 2025, to notify maps of highly productive land in regional policy statements which territorial authorities must then include in district plans. In the interim, territorial authorities must still apply the policies of the NPS-HPL to protect highly productive land.