Together with the Brooklands community, we're in the process of developing a Community Action Plan.
The Canterbury earthquakes had a significant impact on Brooklands – on the environment, on property, on the community and on individuals. As a consequence, Brooklands residents have faced considerable uncertainty about the future of their area.
We recognise the importance of resolving this uncertainty, as much as we can, for the wellbeing of residents and the community as a whole.
Together with the community, we are now in the process of developing a Community Action Plan.
The Council is managing any transitional land uses and enquiries to use land in the Brooklands former residential red zone. For more information email transform@ccc.govt.nz. You can provide feedback on any land use proposals by visiting the Using the regeneration areas(external link) page.
In December 2019 Regenerate Christchurch provided advice to the Council regarding the use of powers under the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act to support regeneration in red zone areas.
The first step in creating the Landscape Development and Action Plan is to have a clear understanding of community expectations and aspirations.
We've held a number of workshops with Brooklands residents over the past year to help get that clarity.
At these sessions, we received lots of feedback and modified the draft plan accordingly.
The action plan will outline a long-term vision for the area, and how this ties into the wider Regional and Community Park network. Once this is settled and adopted by the Community Board, we will begin a staged programme of implementation.
We'll be able to get some of the actions underway quickly – ecological restoration work for instance. Other medium and longer-term projects may require funding in either the Annual Plan or Long Term Plan cycles and will need the support of the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board.
As there are always more requests for Council funding than there is money available, the action plan will identify what is a priority for the Community.
Some people also identified concerns about flooding and sea-level rise. These are issues that impact many coastal communities and there are often no easy or quick answers. We’ll need to work together through these issues as part of the coastal hazards adaptation planning programme.
We have a fact sheet [PDF, 341 KB] that provides some information about the red zone and the Specific Purposes Flat Land Recovery Zone, who currently owns the land not held in private ownership, and who will own it in the future.
Restoration planting
Through the Long-Term Plan, the Council has allocated funding for ecological restoration across residential red zone areas, including the approximately 80 hectares at Brooklands.
Restoration planting will start in 2026 to shift our maintenance regime from mowing to maintaining plants – with related ecological benefits.
Plants will be eco-sourced natives, and the initial pioneer planting will support successive planting and habitat for native birds, reptiles, and insects.
Cultivation to break up compacted soil layers will start in January. This will improve water infiltration, aeration and root penetration so roots have better access to moisture and nutrients in the subsoil. This will be followed by weed removal and mulching before planting starts.
Planting is expected to start in April-May 2026. The work will be carried out by Council staff and contractors.
Sites to be planted in 2026 [PDF, 837 KB] include properties on both sides of Lower Styx Road, where there is no viable alternative use. Properties on the western side of the road have high ecological potential and will expand the planted riparian corridor, while those on the east are ‘landlocked’.
Planting will take place over multiple years, dependent on the outcomes of the wider action plan under development.
Brooklands restoration planting sites 2026.
We’ve created a fact sheet [PDF, 452 KB] with information on the new consent, what it means for recent and future developments, and why we don’t dredge the Styx River.