Proposed new rebates to encourage central city development
Christchurch City Council Newsline: 23rd June 2025
Consultation opens today on two proposed new rebate schemes aimed at supporting development in the central city.
The schemes would sit alongside the proposed new Development Contributions Policy, which Christchurch City Council uses to help recover some of the costs of providing infrastructure for new developments.
“Rebates enable the Council to waive development contributions in specific circumstances, where there is a clear benefit to the wider community,” says Council General Manager Strategy, Planning and Regulatory Services, John Higgins.
“The revenue forgone by the waiver must be funded by rates, so we want to hear what Christchurch residents think of the proposals.”
Rebate for expired existing demand credits in central city
The first proposed scheme would provide a rebate for the value of existing demand credits for buildings that have not been demolished within the Four Avenues.
The consultation will also include options to ensure vacant sites within the Four Avenues are eligible for an existing demand credit.
The Development Contributions Policy limits the life of existing demand credits to ten years which means some sites in the central city, that are still to be re-developed post-earthquake, no longer have their credits. It would remain in place up until 30 June 2027, or when the proposed total scheme funding of $5 million is fully allocated.
Existing demand credits allow developers to redevelop a site on a like-for-like basis without paying development contributions.
“Essentially the scheme provides developers with the credits that were sitting on the development site the day before the first earthquake on 4 September 2010. It means the developer will only be asked to contribute towards the costs of providing growth infrastructure such as transport, parks , water supply and wastewater collection if they re-develop beyond what was on the site pre-earthquake,” says Mr Higgins.
“The intention of the credit extension is to encourage development, in particular of some quite prominent sites where there is the potential for negative perceptions of the city for visitors and investors.”
Rebate for six storey residential development in central city
The second proposed scheme would introduce a rebate for central city residential developments of at least six storeys.
This would support the Council’s desire to have 20,000 central city residents by 2028. The current estimated population is 9,160. The developer would be required to register a covenant on each title to limit the use of residential units within the development to residential use only.
A total funding limit of $2 million is proposed for the scheme, which would also expire on 30 June 2027 or when fully allocated.
The public are invited to provide feedback on the proposed new rebate schemes; submissions can be made until Monday 14th July 2025.