There's a lot to think about when you are developing in Central City. We're here to help make the process easier.

People walking through the Central City

How we can help

If you are just starting out and thinking about developing, or have a site with developed ideas or plans, we can help you.

Whether you are new to development or a seasoned professional there are ways we can support your projects. These include alternative housing projects such as social housing, co-living or community-led cooperative housing. 

To find out how we can assist you with our range of services and advice, or if you have questions about developing in Central City, email us at centralcity@ccc.govt.nz.

Our range of services

Some of the services we offer include:

  • Access to our technical staff including building consent officers, fire engineering specialists, geotechnical and structural engineering experts.
  • Information resources (e.g. Central City map). 
  • Information about the building consent process.
  • Free advice from our Eco Design Advisor to help you build smarter.
  • Where and when a resource consent is required and how to apply for this. 
  • Advice on the planning rules under the District Plan specific to the Central City.
  • Free pre-application Urban Design advice. 
  • Design review by our independent Christchurch Urban Design Panel.  
  • Specialist advice on heritage-listed buildings and assistance with applying for a heritage-related incentive grant.
  • Case manager support (through our Partnership Approvals team) to help with the range of Council information, processes and approvals required for your project.
  • Advice on alcohol and health-related licences.

Some services may incur a charge, so please ask us about this.

Building with encouragement

In addition to the above services, we offer incentives that recognise the value that housing developers make in supporting our vision for a vibrant, prosperous Central City.

As part of the Central City Residential Programme (Project 8011, we're working on a range of further incentives to increase the supply and demand for Central City housing.