Positive rebuild trends and projects noted by Planning Committee

Consents

Ninety-nine per cent of all resource consent applications are processed within statutory timeframes according to a report received by the Planning Committee today.

Resource Consents & Building Policy Manager, Steve McCarthy says this shows the Council’s efforts since the Canterbury earthquakes to make processing resource consents more efficient was having a positive impact. “The changes we have been putting in place in response to the rebuild show that we have been preparing well and are ready to meet the Government’s recent announcement of a six month time limit for processing medium sized projects.”

Mr McCarthy says that he has been encouraged by the number of customers requesting pre application meetings as they help customers find out what is needed to submit complete applications.

“The Council is helping our customers understand that submitting a complete application can make a real difference to processing times.”

Building consent trends

The report also shows the number of building consents applications received is gradually increasing but the size and complexity of projects has increased significantly. Figures for August 2007 show that for all consent applications, 46 per cent were larger commercial projects over $100,000 and nine percent were over $500,000. In August 2012 this has changed to 61 percent and 26 percent.

Building Operations Manager Ethan Stetson says this confirms the figures reflect the rebuild is steadily gathering pace with a significant number of new rebuilds for commercial owners undertaking large projects.

The report notes that:

During August and September an average of 29.5 applications were received daily.
Most consent applications are processed within the required 20 statutory days. Ninety-seven per cent of all earthquake consents applications were processed within the required 20 statutory days for July – September and an average of 95 per cent of all non-earthquake consent applications.
100 percent of all 2233 building inspections in September 2012 were completed within three days of being booked.
389 Code Compliance Certificates were issued, confirming that building work complied with building consents.
The Council made it possible for the public to reoccupy a number of buildings while construction work continues with the issue of 28 Certificates of Public. These certificates are issued where a building, or part of a building is safe to occupy but some construction work is ongoing.

Trams operation and development

The Planning Committee will recommend to the Council that the current tram loop be reinstated and put back in operation as soon as possible.

This recommendation also includes that work be approved, subject to discussions with the Central City Development Unit, and once the insurance position has been confirmed.

Transitional Projects

Recreational play equipment, interactive art work and street furniture are all proposed in a Suburban Centres Programme Transitional Project update received by the committee.

Potential projects include proposed:

Seating and viewing platforms, recreation and play equipment, planters and lighting for Lyttelton Civic Square (44 London Street).
Re-locatable interactive art work for Sumner, Linwood Village, Sydenham and Edgeware Village.
Re-locatable seating, planters, lighting, drinking fountains and shade sails for New Brighton Centre, Selwyn Street Shops, Sumner Village Centre, Edgeware Village, Linwood Village and Sydenham.

The report notes that a range of existing temporary projects have been well received by the community.

For more information on the Council’s Suburban Centres Programme visit www.ccc.govt.nz.suburbancentres

Greenfields Residential Land Availability

The total number of sections in large (greater than five sections) subdivisions, with consent issued at, and after, February 2011 has increased from 1,767 to 2,773.

The report received by the Committee notes a total pool of some 22,000 potential sections was identified within the Christchurch City area following the earthquakes.

This included future Greenfield areas (undeveloped land in a city or rural area) and the development of some of the available land within the existing urban area.

Since the earthquakes began, some 9000 of the potential sections in future Greenfield areas have been rezoned from rural to residential.

Building rating system

The Committee will recommend to Council that they wait for legislative direction from the Government on introducing a building rating system based on the recommendations of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

The Committee noted there is general support for a publically displayed rating system which makes the seismic resilience of buildings known.

The Council has previously supported a rating system in its submissions to the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.

Resource Consents and Building Policy Manager Steve McCarthy provided an update to the Committee that the figure in the report of 390 Detailed Engineering Evaluations held by Council and obtained from Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, has now increased to 579.