Urban form

Issue: Loss of productive land through urban expansion

Productive land is found where soils and other conditions are good for growing food.

Highly productive land is generally located on class 1-3 land under the land use capability (LUC) classification system developed by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. In a general sense, it represents soils that require fewer inputs (fertilizer and irrigation) to support primary production compared with other classes of soil. However, other types of soil can still be very productive despite not being classes 1-3, for example soil that produces high quality stone fruit or soil that is valuable for producing wine. Conversely, LUC classes 1-3 may not be highly productive if they are fragmented or already zoned for other development.

Highly productive land is being lost in Canterbury/Waitaha as a result of urban expansion and land fragmentation (See Figure 2 below). The growing demand for housing in Greater Christchurch continues to put pressure on the urban fringes of Christchurch, and surrounding towns in the Selwyn and Waimakariri districts (including Rolleston, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Lincoln, Prebbleton, and West Melton).

The Our Land Report 2021 (PDF file, 8.9MB) prepared by the Ministry for the Environment/Manatū Mō Te Taiao and Stats NZ/Tatauranga Aotearoa notes that the most significant increase in land fragmentation between 2002 and 2019 occurred in Waitaha.

This type of land fragmentation is the result of extensive rural-residential development of allotments between 2-8 hectares. These smaller blocks of land can still produce food but are generally used for meeting non-commercial consumption or recreation activities.

This poses a threat to the food security of local markets and can have adverse effects on the environment and the economy. Production might shift to lower-quality soils where more inputs are required, and the yield and quality of crops may reduce.

Transportation effects also increase where production is pushed further away from urban centres. A greater reliance on imported food grows our carbon footprint.

National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022 (NPS-HPL)

The National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022 (NPS-HPL) was enacted in October 2022. The sole objective of the NPS-HPL is to protect highly productive land, with policies and clauses to avoid subdivision and development. There are some exceptions to this, however these are subject to strict criteria.

The mapping of highly productive land, as per the definition in the NPS-HPL has not yet been notified by Canterbury Regional Council. As the NPS-HPL has immediate legal effect, there is an interim definition of highly productive land that must be used until the regional council has notified the mapping of highly productive land.

The interim definition of highly productive land is:

1. 1. zoned general rural or rural production; and
   2. LUC 1, 2, or 3 land; but
2. is not:
   1. identified for future urban development; or
   2. subject to a Council initiated, or an adopted, notified plan change to rezone it from general rural or rural production to urban or rural lifestyle.

Locations of land use capability classes 1-3 in Greater Christchurch

Figure 1 below shows LUC class 1-3 areas, where the darkest shade of green is class 1 (the most versatile) and the lightest shade is class 3.

Mapping of LUC class 1-3 soils has been completed. However, this mapping has not excluded land identified for future urban development, or land that is subject to a council initiated or notified plan change.

Of note, there are future development areas in Waimakariri and Selwyn, and a number of plan changes in the Selwyn District which are exempt from being highly productive land, as per this interim definition.

For the purposes of this Figure, only land that is LUC 1, 2, and 3 has been mapped.

Current actions or approach

The operative Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (CRPS) requires new development to be avoided in areas valued for primary production where it will foreclose the ability to make use of land for primary production in the future.

Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan

Central government, mana whenua and local government are working together through the Whakawhanake Kāinga Committee (Urban Growth Partnership) to develop a new spatial plan for Greater Christchurch. The spatial plan will set the direction for how the urban area will grow and change over the next 30-plus years in the context of the significant opportunities and challenges.

The spatial plan will build on the extensive planning work that has already been undertaken to consider the future of Greater Christchurch.

It will also give effect to the range of national policy directions set by central government, including the objectives of the urban growth agenda and satisfying the relevant requirements of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 and the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022.

The spatial plan will be implemented through the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and the Christchurch City and district plans.

Issue: Ineffective integration of land use and transport networks

Urban land use and development outside areas where growth is anticipated, or that is poorly integrated with transport networks can create adverse effects on the efficiency of transport infrastructure.

The need to accommodate people and businesses quickly after the Christchurch/Ōtautahi earthquakes in 2010/2011 reinforced an already dispersed urban form in Greater Christchurch.

Much of the post-earthquake demand was supported through the development of new housing areas (enabled by the Land Use Recovery Plan) that had been originally planned to meet longer-term growth needs.

This has resulted in development around the urban fringes of Christchurch/Ōtautahi and the larger towns in Selwyn and Waimakariri districts, which has occurred at a much faster rate than anticipated by the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy.

Land transport currently accounts for a large proportion of the greenhouse gas emissions in Greater Christchurch. This highlights the significant contribution of private vehicle use to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

The dispersed and largely low-density nature of the settlement pattern makes it difficult to provide a viable public transport system.

Poorly integrated development, or development in inappropriate locations, can affect the accessibility and uptake of public transport and active modes of transport. Combined with increased air pollution, this can reduce the potential for improved public health.

It can also result in increased emissions, increased car dependency, less efficient use of land, and more expensive infrastructure (due to the need for more extensive water, wastewater and roading networks).

Current actions or approach

Chapter 6 of the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (CRPS) sets out objectives and policies relating to the recovery, rebuilding, and future development of Greater Christchurch. It requires urban development within Greater Christchurch to give effect to the urban form identified in Figure 2, which indicates the location and extent of urban development and planning for future development.

We are part of the Greater Christchurch Partnership (the Partnership) which works collaboratively on strategic settlement planning and urban growth and development issues in Greater Christchurch, including through the development of the UDS and Our Space 2018-2048.

Our Space 2018-2048 updated the settlement pattern originally set out in the 2007 UDS and which underpins the planning framework outlined in Chapter 6 to the CRPS. The Partnership is also developing a new plan Greater Christchurch 2050 to set a path for the next steps in our post-quake journey while facing major global challenges and trends.

Issue: Urban form requires an adequate supply of aggregate

Waitaha has access to large volumes of river aggregate (gravel) both in river beds and across the plains. Aggregate is an essential component of concrete used in construction and infrastructure projects such as roading. Relatively small amounts of aggregate are permitted to be taken, but a resource consent is required for volumes exceeding 10 cubic metres per year.

Figure 1 shows national supply data between the years 2010 and 2019, indicating that the supply of aggregate in Waitaha contributes significantly to total New Zealand/Aotearoa aggregate production. Of note is the increased demand associated with the Christchurch/Ōtautahi and Kaikōura earthquake rebuild efforts in 2012 and 2016 respectively.

As the Waitaha region continues to develop, the need for aggregate will increase. Stats NZ/Tatauranga Aotearoa predicts that by 2048 the population of Waitaha will be approximately 780,000: a 24 per cent increase from 30 June 2021.

Further changes in land use are expected to accompany this population increase, including increased demand for gravel and flood protection. Climate change will also play a part in this increasing demand, for use in sea walls, riverbank protection, and restoration work.

Aggregate is a high-volume, low-value commodity that is most economic to source near urban areas as this reduces transport costs. While this sourcing approach supports regional economic growth, other land uses and values may already be established in those areas and quarrying may not be a suitable neighbouring activity.

Quarrying activities have an array of potentially adverse effects associated with the excavation, crushing, screening, stockpiling and transport of aggregate. Areas that are ideal for land-based quarries due to their proximity to urban centres may also be the same areas that are preferred for urban development and expansion.

Current actions or approach

There is no specific national direction for the aggregate industry although national policies such as the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020, National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022, New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 and national regulations such as the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 can be relevant to the supply of aggregate.

The Canterbury Regional Policy Statement contains general provisions ensuring the supply of aggregate takes place in a way that is appropriate to other land uses and values. The Canterbury Regional Policy Statement also provides direction to the regional and district plans.

The Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan recognises the value of gravel extraction for construction and maintenance of infrastructure, for economic activity, for flood management purposes and for the re-build of Christchurch/Ōtautahi. It contains various rules to ensure aggregate extraction and associated activities take place in a manner that safeguards natural resources. It also contains rules referring to the Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy 2012 which sets out a framework for managing gravel extraction from rivers.

Resource consent to extract river gravel will not be granted in areas where a deficit of gravel has been identified or where proposed extraction may cause a deficit in gravel volumes.

District Plans include provisions to address resource management issues associated with aggregate extraction and production such as adverse effects on land use, noise, traffic, natural hazards, heritage, and biodiversity. District plans also control the locations of land-based quarrying activities.

The Crown Minerals Act 1991, administered by New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZPAM), is also relevant to some land-based quarrying activities.

Further links to

Urban context and policy direction   Housing   Urban infrastructure