News archive

Project Christmas Nominations Opening

Helping people who don’t normally put their hands up.

Central city transport plan backed by Environment Canterbury

Environment Canterbury welcomes the release of the draft transport plan for the central city by the Christchurch Central Development Unit.

First groups of Uni of Otago Chch staff return to hospital building

University of Otago, Christchurch, staff move back into their building The first group of staff from the University of Otago, Christchurch (UOC) will move back into their building after 21 months in temporary premises.

EPIC to contribute to growth of Christchurch

Orion's $155m plan for network upgrade

Canterbury householders are being asked to bankroll a massive post-earthquake electricity network upgrade needed to ensure the power stays on into the 2020s.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yep, it’s that holiday that we all hear about in NZ but never really understand. To be honest I still don’t really understand it but I can tell you one thing, the food is epic! Turkey left right and centre, pies (of the dessert kind, not steak & cheese) galore, and people who are thankful [...]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yep, it’s that holiday that we all hear about in NZ but never really understand. To be honest I still don’t really understand it but I can tell you one thing, the food is epic! Turkey left right and centre, pies (of the dessert kind, not steak & cheese) galore, and people who are thankful for what they have (no matter how little it is, especially in current circumstances). A pretty cool occasion on all accounts.

Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub launch another positive step in the rebuild

Town hall truce needed - Dalziel

The Christchurch City Council and Government need to ''call a truce'' over the town hall's fate, a city MP says.

Mill Road, Clarkville

EPIC Enterprise and Innovation hub official opening

Quake rescuers faced 'dual jeopardy'

Red Fix Garden – 230 Tuam St

Greening the Rubble is sharing a space on Tuam Street (close to the McKenzie and Willis building and opposite Alice Video) with Dave’s Red Fix coffee kiosk.

Celebrate UN Day of Persons With Disabilities

Southern Response Progress statistics update – Red Zone progress issues

Earthquake Royal Commission – more evidence relating to the CTV building has been published

The Royal Commission has published more of the evidence provided for the hearings on the CTV building. 

Transport plan vague about vehicle dispersal

Christchurch City Council has adopted the Christchurch Transport Strategic Plan without clarifying how traffic will disperse from the two major roads that end on St Albans boundaries.

Construction drives lift in Cantometer

A bustling construction sector is driving Canterbury's recovery from the earthquakes, with building costs rising sharply, up nearly 10 per cent from a year ago, according to a new index tracking the recovery.

Sara Parkin – Forum for the Future

Residents fear released prisoners

Some ex-prisoners who do not have suitable homes to return to are parolled to the Salisbury Foundation’s halfway home in St Albans Street according to this recent Star news story and it is making residents uneasy.

Gib Best Practice Guidelines: Wet Areas

If you want to get an idea of what best practice looks like for repairing a bathroom, or having a new one built, there is a Gib best practice guide just out.

November issue of St Albans News available

Day 638 - The Canterbury Community Trust donates $15,000

has approved a donation toward "Purchase of a work vehicle and annual operating costs including administration, office equipment, building materials, vehicle based laptops and radio telephones, tools and annual operating overheads for the operational office and maintenance workshop."

The donation will be received on Wednesday 28 November.

Government 'suprised' by town hall decision

The Government isn't ruling out overriding the council's decision to save Christchurch's quake-damaged town hall.

Christchurch's answer to Silicon Valley

‘Silicon Gully’ is Christchurch's own take on the Californian valley that spawns many of the world's IT innovations.

Interim Draft Ferry Road / Main Road Master Plan adopted for consultation

Christchurch City Council today approved the Interim Draft Ferry Road / Main Road Master Plan to be released for public comment.

Council adopts transport plan

Today's Christchurch City Council meeting adopted the Christchurch Transport Strategic Plan, the Council's 30-year vision to develop the city's transport network.

Council votes to keep Town Hall

Christchurch City Council today voted unanimously to retain and repair the entire Town Hall complex to 100 per cent of New Building Standards (NBS).

Otaki Street, Kaiapoi

Brownlee to 'have discussion' on Christchurch City Council Town Hall decision

Brownlee is refusing to say whether he will overturn the Christchurch City Council’s decision today to rebuild the Christchurch Town Hall.

Brownlee queries council's Town Hall decision

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee is not ruling out overriding the city council's plan to save the Christchurch Town Hall.

Dancers highlight the need for an accessible city

The emotive and persuasive power of dance will be used to draw attention to the need for a truly accessible Christchurch.

Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub opens

Steven Joyce | Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

EQC guide: Easy ways to quake safe your home

'Green city vision' for the Christchurch central city rebuild

A ‘green city vision’ for Christchurch is one step closer as a tailor-made tool for rebuilding in an eco-friendly way is released.

Christchurch City Council votes to save Town Hall

The Christchurch City Council has voted unanimously to save the Christchurch Town Hall.

Midwives open rebuilt premises soon

The College of Midwives will officially open their new National Office building in Manchester Street in St Albans this week. The brick building on the site was damaged in the earthquakes and has now been rebuilt in a very different …

Forced acquisitions not attractive - specialist

Affected landowners should be concerned about two aspects of the way that the Christchurch Central Development Unit proceeds with compulsory land acquisition in the CBD, according to Catherine Schache, a commercial law specialist at Duncan Cotterill.

Christchurch quake sequences settling down

The probability of a large earthquake hitting Canterbury continues to decline as the earthquake sequence settles down, says GeoNet. 

Chief Executive update – 21 November 2012

Planning Committee recommends plan changes

Christchurch City Council Planning Committee yesterday recommended that the Council adopt a proposed plan change to amend the airport noise contours in the City Plan.

Chances of new aftershocks are dropping in Christchurch - GNS Science

The probability of a large aftershock in Christchurch is dropping, a GNS science report revealed today.

White Paper for Vulnerable Children public meeting well supported

Volcanic eruption

Day 637 - 385 fruit & veggie packs packed

Another good turnout of volunteers from all 17 CSFVC distribution centres helped pack today.

Advice to householders affected by the latest Tongariro eruption

Large quake probability continues to drop

The probability of a large aftershock somewhere in the central Canterbury earthquake zone continues to drop as a result of lower seismic activity in recent months.

More evidence of Christchurch rent gouging

New Zealand First says more evidence of rent gouging has emerged with a Christchurch family with nine young children landed with a rent increase of $100 a week to take their weekly rental from $460 to $560.

Quick-fire demolition for city building

A quick-fire demolition will see an eight-storey Christchurch building levelled in less than 48 hours.

CDHB Consumer Council: Nominations

CDHB Consumer Council: – nominations are now open for anyone of these key areas: – 

Bare bums to highlight suburb's 'neglect'

New Brighton residents are preparing to bare their bums to highlight a collective feeling of post-quake neglect.

How technology makes disaster response fast (this one is shorter – Day 5)

The thing about disasters is that people want to help. In a city of 25 million people (or thereabouts), that’s a lot of help. Some of this help is from people who own businesses – big ones.

How technology makes disaster response fast (this one is shorter – Day 5)

The thing about disasters is that people want to help. In a city of 25 million people (or thereabouts), that’s a lot of help. Some of this help is from people who own businesses – big ones.

Speedy demolition this weekend

This weekend will see a unique quick-fire demolition of the eight-storey URS House on the corner of Gloucester and Durham Streets.

Whites Road, Ohoka

Technical Reports - Peer Review - Canterbury Earthquake Sequence and Implications for Seismic Design Levels

The Commission received the following advice from Professor Ralph Archuleta of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The paper reviews the technical report by GNS Science.

Technical Reports - Base Isolation and Damage-Resistant Technologies for Improved Seismic Performance of Buildings

The Commission sought the advice of Professor Andrew Buchanan, Holcim Adjunct Professor Des Bull, Associate Professor Rajesh Dhakal, Associate Professor Greg MacRae, Dr Alessandro Palermo and Associate Professor Stefano Pampanin from the University of Canterbury on new technologies to improve seismic performance of buildings.

Technical Report - Stairs and Access Ramps Between Floors in Multi-storey Buildings

This report, which was written by Des Bull of Holmes Consulting Group, indicates that in light of the damage sustained to stairs and access ramps in the Christchurch earthquakes a review was needed into the way these items are designed.  It is clear that inadequate allowance has been made in the past for the relative movement that occurs between floors in a major earthquake. 

Technical Report - Structural Design For Earthquake Resistance Past, Present and Future

The Commission received a report written by Associate Professor Rajesh Dhakal of the University of Canterbury. The report, which was offered to the Commission, provided an indepth discussion of the way in which the current approach to seismic design has developed, and how this may change in the future.

Brighton bum baring protest aimed at council

A protest called Bare Your Bum for Brighton has been organised by a fed-up Christchurch businessman who says the city council has neglected the beachside suburb for too long.