We're improving Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa, which is a popular marine and recreation area for Lyttelton, Christchurch and wider Canterbury residents.

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As the only all-tide water access points for Christchurch, the aim is to make Naval Point a great place for people to enjoy being on, or close to, Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour and to improve the site for the many groups who are already based there.

The Naval Point-Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan [PDF, 3.4 MB] is guiding the development of the area, which is being carried out in stages as funding becomes available through the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan processes. 

The plan was approved by the Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū/Banks Peninsula Community Board on Monday, 30 November 2020. Council also needed to give approval for the closure of Magazine Bay Marina, with this decision made on Thursday 28 January 2021.

The first phase of the Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan has been completed. A significant upgrade of the recreation ground is also underway, with the new change pavilion construction expected to wrap up in April 2025.

New shared facilities for both land and water-based sport and recreation are also currently being explored.

View the full document outlining the Naval Point Development Plan [PDF, 3.4 MB]

Project background

The need for a Naval Point-Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan was identified through the Lyttelton Master Plan 2012 and again in the Lyttelton Port Recovery Plan 2015, although there have been calls from the community for the site to be developed for many years prior.

After a lot of discussion with key stakeholders and users of the site, two development options were consulted on in July 2019(external link) – with one clearly preferred by the community based on submissions received.

The preferred option (Option 2), which proposed Council acquire a 1.3-hectare piece of land to give the site better configuration for development, has been refined and is the basis for the Naval Point Development Plan [PDF, 2.8 MB].

Who we talked to

Naval Point-Te Nukutai o Tapoa and Magazine Bay is the home to many recreational groups who lease Council land including Naval Point Club Lyttelton, Coastguard Canterbury, Lyttelton Sea Scouts, Canterbury Windsports Association, a number of waka ama groups, rugby and football clubs associated with the Lyttelton recreation grounds as well as a number of formal and informal marine recreational and other community-based organisations.

The site is also significant to Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, mana whenua for the area.

We have spoken to all of the groups and taken into consideration the feedback they have given, as well as the submissions received through public consultation in 2017(external link) and 2019(external link).

Works started at Naval Point - Te Nukutai o Tapoa in mid-2021 and included sealing part of the car park, completing stormwater drainage works, upgrading utilities, and installing floating pontoons near the public ramp. 

A waterfront walkway was also completed, alongside an artwork developed by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke Rāpaki. 

These works were finished ahead of the first SailGP event in March 2023.

The removal of Magazine Bay Marina was approved by the Council in January 2021, with demolition work starting in August 2023 and wrapping up in early 2024. 

The second Lyttelton-based SailGP event took place in March 2024. Power, water and internet service upgrades were completed ahead of the event. These will support future developments including the new Coastguard Canterbury building and changing facilities at the Lyttelton Recreation Ground.

 

 

2017 to 2018

Community and stakeholder engagement was held, including drop-in sessions public consultation, and discussions with user groups. Further consultation was undertaken with Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, the Naval Point Club Lyttelton and other key stakeholders.

2019

Two development options were produced and shared for further feedback from the community and stakeholders. A public consultation ran from 27 June to 28 July 2019. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2020

The plan for Naval Point was approved by Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board in December 2020. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2021

Work began on the first phase of the Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan in June 2021. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2023

  • March 2023: Work on the first major phase of work was completed ahead of New Zealand’s first SailGP event. Work included sealing part of the car park, installing stormwater drainage, upgrading site utilities, and installing floating pontoons. A waterfront walkway, with artwork created by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke Rāpaki also complete. Read more on Newsline.(external link)
  • September 2023: Magazine Bay Marina demolition gets underway. Read more on Newsline(external link).
  • October 2023: Redevelopment of the Lyttelton Recreation Grounds began. Read more on Newsline(external link)

2024

2017 to 2018

Community and stakeholder engagement was held, including drop-in sessions public consultation, and discussions with user groups. Further consultation was undertaken with Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, the Naval Point Club Lyttelton and other key stakeholders.

2019

Two development options were produced and shared for further feedback from the community and stakeholders. A public consultation ran from 27 June to 28 July 2019. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2020

The plan for Naval Point was approved by Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board in December 2020. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2021

Work began on the first phase of the Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa Development Plan in June 2021. Read more on Newsline(external link).

2023

  • March 2023: Work on the first major phase of work was completed ahead of New Zealand’s first SailGP event. Work included sealing part of the car park, installing stormwater drainage, upgrading site utilities, and installing floating pontoons. A waterfront walkway, with artwork created by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke Rāpaki also complete. Read more on Newsline.(external link)
  • September 2023: Magazine Bay Marina demolition gets underway. Read more on Newsline(external link).
  • October 2023: Redevelopment of the Lyttelton Recreation Grounds began. Read more on Newsline(external link)

2024

In 2021, SailGP(external link) announced it was bringing its brand of adrenaline-filled racing to Christchurch's Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour for two events in 2023 and 2025. 

SailGP then confirmed racing would return to Lyttelton in 2024 after the planned Auckland event was unable to go ahead.

Together, the two events were estimated to have a total gross economic benefit of $20.6 million NZD and bring more than 11,500 visitors to Christchurch.

On top of these benefits is the value of the global broadcast audience of 40 million people seeing Christchurch in a new way.

Naval Point – Te Nukutai o Tapoa was the base for events in 2023 and 2024.