The Canterbury Jockey Club says their Riccarton facilities will be uninterrupted by a new subdivision.

Yesterday the Government approved the $300 million, 600 home development at Riccarton Racecourse.

Legislation was passed last June to facilitate the lifting of the land's reserve status.

Canterbury Jockey Club CEO Tim Mills said just one of the course's boundaries will be close to the homes.

"On the south-west side, they do border the 1200 metre shoot, but there's enough distance between the course and the boundaries of the new proposed properties to not cause us any concerns from a racing perspective."

Mills insists a new subdivision at Riccarton Racecourse will only have positive effects, and says the subdivision will boost their funds.

"Ultimately they'll be generating income streams that'll come back to the Canterbury Jockey Club, to utilise for the betterment of racing at Riccarton Park."

Housing Minister Nick Smith said the developer Ngai Tahu can now apply for consent to build the infrastructure.

"I would expect the first sections to be available 2018, and the first homes completed late 2018-2019."