Christchurch unveils new city blueprint
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The earthquake-struck city of Christchurch, New Zealand has unveiled a new city blueprint to revitalise the city and tourism in the area.
The city has adopted a ‘garden city’ feel moving forward, which will limit new buildings in the small central area to 28 metres or eight storeys. Green spaces will be a core part of the developments to capitalise on the Avon River, with the rebuild scheduled for the year-end.
Its Square will be closed to through traffic and a memorial to the victims of the 22 February 2011 earthquake will be featured. Plans in the blueprint also include major new infrastructure will including a sports stadium, convention centre, indoor sports facility and entertainment areas, as well as a library and residential space that will be “very much like Melbourne”, according to New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key.
“This blueprint sets out a very clear vision for the central city and really shaped Christchurch as a city of the 21st century – a place where everyone will want to come and stay,” added Tim Hunter, chief executive of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism. “It keeps the best of the Garden City’s urban layout our forefathers created, enhancing the ‘city in a garden’ image by adding more parks and by shrinking the size of the CBD into a more compact, people-friendly space.”
Meanwhile, Auckland has begged Brits to migrate to the destination following a “major skills shortage”. Engineering, digital and ICT expertise are said to be scarce, with the job climate currently favourable to immigrants.
