Related Information
Health Impact Assessment 2006
Urban design, as detailed in the Draft Urban Development Strategy (UDS) for Greater Christchurch, has a strong influence on community health outcomes.
This Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was undertaken by the Canterbury District Health Board to measure the likely effects of the UDS growth options on the health and wellbeing of the area’s communities.
The HIA findings, which provided certain recommendations on air quality, water quality, social connectedness, housing, transport, and engagement with Maori, will inform the UDS partners as they make their final decisions on the future of their communities in the Greater Christchurch area.
Informed urban design can assist in the reduction of socio-economic inequalities, however, the possibility of urban regenerations increasing social inequality is also real. For optimal health outcomes the UDS must identify and consider the range of health determinants in relation to the whole urban environment. The HIA plays a pivotal role in advising on such health determinants.
Health Impact Assessment 2006 [PDF 1.55MB]
Canadian expert to talk about planning for growth
If you are passionate about how councils should plan ahead for an ideal Greater Christchurch then don’t miss the public talk by Canadian expert, Sebastian Moffatt, on 9 November at the Christchurch Town Hall.
Mr Moffatt was one of the project leaders for the successful citiesPLUS (Cities Planning for Long-term Urban Sustainability) project for Greater Vancouver which won Mr Moffatt's Canadian team the grand prix prize at the international Sustainable Urban Systems Design competition in Tokyo in 2003.
Since the grand prix win, the citiesPLUS initiative has progressed to a second phase "Bridging to the Future", which will develop long-term plans called pathways for five urban areas around the globe.
This will be the topic of Mr Moffatt's address at the Christchurch Town Hall Cambridge room on Wednesday, 9 November, from 7pm to 9pm, as a guest of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development project.
View Sebastian Moffatt's biography here.
Former Premier of British Columbia talks about Greater Vancouver project
On Wednesday, 27 April, 2005, the former Premier of British Columbia, Michael Harcourt, spoke to Linda Clark on Nine to Noon, National Radio, about the problem every city in the world is having grappling with growth – what to do with the extra people, where to fit them, and all the planning issues involved. Mr Harcourt, who was keynote speaker at the New Zealand Planning Institute conference that week, talked in the following interview transcript about the Vancouver experience and how it relates to challenges faced by New Zealand cities.
Read the transcript of the radio interview with Michael Harcourt.
Auditor General's Office rejects developer's request
The Office of the Auditor General has rejected outright developer Hugh Pavletich's request to hold an inquiry into the Greater Christchurch UDS.
Mr Pavletich claimed in his correspondence to the Auditor General's Office that the Greater Christchurch UDS was based on inadequate and possibly detrimental information and policies.
In a letter copied to the Christchurch City Council, Cathy Kenkel, sector manager local government for the Auditor General's Office says: "On balance, we have not become aware of any action which would cause this office to consider an enquiry necessary into the urban land use planning process undertaken for the Greater Christchurch region. On this basis, we decline your request for any further enquiry into this process."
New forum members
Replacing developer, Robin Hughes, and Evon Currie from the Canterbury District Health Board on the Greater Christchurch UDS Forum, will be South Island president of the Property Council NZ, Rob Churcher, and Canterbury medical officer of health, Dr Mel Brieseman, respectively. Both bring vast experiences from their specialist areas.
Mr Churcher has had 18 years experience in the property industry as a consultant and development manager and is currently working as property asset adviser for Beca in Christchurch. He has lectured on property at Lincoln and Otago universities, and graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Surveying, and from Lincoln University with a Master of Property.
Dr Brieseman has been the head of public health in Canterbury for 28 years. He is medical spokesman for the recent outbreak of legionnaires' disease – overseeing the investigations. Graduating in medicine from Otago University, he practiced in England on a scholarship before heading to India with his wife and children to work as missionaries near Bombay. This third-world work stimulated his interest in public health, and he returned in 1977 to take up a job as Medical Officer of Health.
