Chch's new blueprint hailed a 'brave' plan

There's praise for the bravery of the team that's put together the blueprint for the Christchurch CBD.

The plan shows a small but more organised CBD, with a building height limit of seven storeys and a park bordering the eastern and southern edges of the city centre.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend says it goes further than he thought it would.

"I've been stating for a long time that we need a brave plan and this is a very brave plan. It's a plan for our future, it's a plan I totally embrace and if anything, they've been braver than I expected them to be and that's just wonderful."

New civic buildings and sporting facilities are planned within, including a 24,000 square metre convention centre.

But Christchurch city councillor Yani Johanson says there are still obvious traffic concerns which need to be looked at.

"I think the traffic planning is really important - how you move people from one place to another, and I have to say it's pretty underwhelming in this plan, in regards to what's happening around traffic movement and traffic corridors."

Mr Johanson has some doubts.

"Still a lot of questions about the cost, both in the short term and in the long term.

"I think the timing will be really interesting, I think it's a huge question - is how do you space it out so you don't have costs going through the roof and you have a lot of other spending that you need on other things in the city like looking after the people in some of the areas that are not so well off."

The chief executive of the Court Theatre is glad the blueprint takes into account what people asked for.

Philip Alridge says what came out of the Share an Idea campaign has been taken on board.

"I think that there's nothing unique about what we said, (I mean) any 21st century city would be saying low rise, and green, and sustainable, but we're the ones that have got the opportunity to implement it and this is the beginning of the implementation."

Councillor Barry Corbett says they listened to what the people of Christchurch wanted.

"Cantabrians are very passionate about their city, and if the plan had not been to their liking they would have certainly said that."

He says it's something to be proud of.

"We are an optimistic city and we deserve to have the best and I think we will."

Councillor Glenn Livingstone shares those concerns.

"Unless we grow the population, we grow the ratepayers for the operational expenditure further down the track, will we be able to sustain it? So I just hope they haven't bitten off more than they can chew. Very ambitious."

Mr Livingstone says it's great that it will see investment into the city again, but investment's also needed in the suburbs.

"I hope people don't think that, it's not a totally false dichotomy, economic recovery is also social recovery and vice versa so let's get people sorted out with their insurance."

Claudia Reid says it's now imperative that what follows involves the Christchurch City Council and the Government in a true partnership.

PDF: Christchurch Central Recovery Plan summary

Photo: supplied