The Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan sets out a community-agreed vision for Selwyn Street and the critical actions to achieve it. It was adopted by the Council in July 2012.

Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan [PDF, 5.8 MB].

Local Selwyn Street residents appreciated their local centre and the convenient shopping and services it provided. They are now rebuilding their community following the earthquakes and the loss of much of its built heritage and the disruption to its retail and business life.

Taking care to plan Selwyn Street’s commercial centre post-earthquake is critical to ensure the centre will be the best it can be. 

The process to identify stakeholders, key issues, community aspirations and develop the Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan began in July 2011. After technical expert workshops and community consultation, the master plan was endorsed by the Community Board before being adopted by the Council in July 2012.

Vision, goals and actions

The Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan contains a strategic vision to transform the centre into a prosperous, attractive place for people to live and visit, to spend time and to do business.

The vision is supported by five goals, which are to be delivered through nine detailed implementation actions/projects. These encourage Council, private sector, community and government-led decision-making to align and move forward together in a logical sequence.

The vision, goals and actions are described in detail in sections 2 and 6 of the Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan [PDF, 5.8 MB].

Progress on implementation of actions

In the years following the adoption of the Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan, actions have been implemented where possible. The context for these continues to change and this has influenced decisions by the Council, other organisations and private individuals.

Progress on implementation of Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan actions can be viewed below, under the themes with which each action aligns.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street - street environment and movement: The Council is working on delivery of safety enhancements to a pedestrian crossing in the vicinity of the Selwyn Street shops.

The built environment (B)

  • (B2) 299 Selwyn Street: The private landowner completed a residential redevelopment, Brooksfield Mews, comprising a mix of 25 two and three-story townhouses, in 2023.
  • (B3) Selwyn Street eastern side: The private landowner designed and re-built shop units at 288 – 304 Selwyn Street in 2016/2017.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street – street environment and movement: The Council (and NZTA on Brougham Street) partially completed this with Brougham Street/Selwyn Street intersection improvements (cycle infrastructure and crossing points) in 2015.

Natural environment (N)

  • (N1) Selwyn Street Reserve: New planting areas and refreshed pathways were delivered by the Council in 2022.

Recovery together (R)

  • (R1) Ongoing case management: The Council has and continues to provide assistance as required since 2012.

The following Selwyn Street Shops Master Plan actions have commenced and/or been completed in part to the extent noted:

Street and movement (S)

  • (S1) Selwyn Street – street environment and movement: See ‘Completed actions’ above. The Council has started scoping the remaining aspects of this action (Selwyn Street/Coronation Street intersection changes and a Selwyn Street upgrade). Originally funded and scheduled for delivery in FY22/23, this project has been deferred until FY27/28 in order to coordinate its implementation with Waka Kotahi’s Brougham Street upgrade (for which the government confirmed funding in February 2025) and the proposed Christchurch Regeneration Acceleration Facility work for Selwyn Street, to minimise disruption to the centre. 

Recovery together (R)

  • (R2) Business Association: The Council has provided advice and support on the establishment of a business association. Now with businesses to implement.

Future development concepts (F)

  • (F1) Future vision: Although the Methodist Church of NZ rebuilt the church hall in 2017, any further work towards the achievement of the ‘Church Precinct’ is for the private landowner to implement.

Street and movement (S)

  • (S2) Selwyn Street Church hall frontage: Originally scheduled for delivery in FY22/23, the Council build-out proposed for the corner of Selwyn Street and Somerset Cres, which will create more space to improve the church hall’s frontage, will now be delivered in conjunction with the transport-related upgrade. See (S1) under ‘Commenced actions’ above.

The built environment (B)

  • (B1) 320 Selwyn Street/57 Somerset Crescent: The possible comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment of these two sites is now unlikely following Waka Kotahi’s purchase of 320 Selwyn Street, and demolition of the building on this site, in 2024.  This is to facilitate Waka Kotahi’s proposed Brougham Street upgrade, when fully funded.

Natural environment (N)

  • (N1) Selwyn Street Reserve: The Council discontinued this in 2020, following the completion of full concept development and consultation for the park upgrade and the subsequent reallocation of the funding for this project within the master plan capital programme, to redevelop Naval Point in Lyttelton. However, some elements were included in a refresh of the park in 2022. See ‘Completed actions’ above.