Slope instability reassessed in parts of Christchurch's Port Hills

Christchurch City Council is considering using a fast-tracked process to change the District Plan to reflect new information about the slope instability risk in some parts of the Port Hills.

After the earthquakes, slope instability modelling was done in the Port Hills to identify which properties were affected by, or potentially at risk from, rockfall, cliff collapse or mass movement.

As a result of that modelling, mapped hazard areas, called slope instability overlays, were included within the District Plan.

In the slope instability overlays, most development requires resource consent.

However, hazard removal works done over the past few years, coupled with new technical information, means there is now a different or lower risk in some parts of the slope stability overlays.

Despite the changed risk profile in those areas, all properties within the overlays remain subject to the original rules, which is imposing unnecessary restrictions and costs on landowners.