Support for alternative housing in the Central City

If you are interested in pursuing or exploring alternative housing, please email centralcity@ccc.govt.nz.

The Council’s policies prioritise housing as a human right and consider it to be a vital community infrastructure (Housing Policy 2016, Community Housing Strategy 2021 to 2031). We currently offer the following direct support to alternative housing providers:

• Partnership, as and when opportunities arise, to deliver alternative housing.
• Access to land through:
  • Notifying community housing providers of Council land identified for disposal.
  • A Strategic Land Acquisitions Fund, for the purchase of land to support alternative housing provision. This requires consideration of a proposal and business case from an alternative housing provider.
• Access to funding and financial incentives through:
  • The Community Organisation Loans Scheme, upon application by an eligible alternative housing provider.
  • A full or partial development contribution remission in unique and compelling circumstances, upon application.
  • A development contribution rebate for social housing until full allocation, or the last working day of 2022, or upon closure by the Council, whichever comes first.
  • A partial resource consent fee discount for not-for-profit and community organisations, including community housing providers.
• Information, advice and case management:
  • A partnership approvals service providing dedicated assistance to:
    • facilitate access to development opportunities
    • navigate regulatory processes
  • Information about the funding support noted above.
  • Information relevant to general residential and alternative housing development within the Central City.
  • Design advice and concept plans to facilitate more comprehensive redevelopment of sites, including adjoining sites. 
  • Coordinating and/or connecting alternative housing providers to Council staff, including geotechnical, structural engineering, fire engineering and building consent experts for their assistance. 
  • Technical advice and information about potential regulatory and design requirements. 
  • Free advice from our Eco Design Advisor to help you build smarter. 
  • Design review by the independent Christchurch Urban Design Panel. 
• Promoting alternative housing and Central City living, including the positive attributes of the non-traditional housing models and residential neighbourhoods found in the Central City.
• Providing public facilities and public realm improvements, to help meet the needs of Central City residents.

As part of the Central City Residential Programme, work is underway to consider the:

• Introduction of a Development Contribution rebate for alternative housing.
• Extension of an existing rates remission to include new builds by community housing providers.

• Case study: How have the barriers to the provision of alternative housing projects in the Central City been overcome elsewhere [PDF, 1.8 MB]
• Supporting alternative housing approaches and projects: Situation analysis report on the current Central City housing, residents and deficits [PDF, 1.8 MB]
• Supporting alternative housing approaches and projects: Findings report [PDF, 2.4 MB]
• Cohousing NZ (external link)
• The Housing Innovation Society(external link)
• Earthsong Eco neighbourhood(external link)
• The Embassy Network (external link)