Why does everyone love Christchurch? Because we planned it properly 15 years ago.

We often forget that we already have a great example of what precinct delivery looks like at scale in NZ. 15 years on and most people will be quick to tell you how great Christchurch is (the population growth supports this!). Don’t get me wrong, it is not perfect, and we learnt a lot about what not to do, but the thinking that underpins the rebuild was sound, and still applicable today.

I dug back into the archives with the view of doing a strategic review of the Christchurch Blueprint Precinct Programme. So, where did we start 15 years ago that led to the vibrant and active city we see today? The initial work we did with Cameron Partners had three purposes:

• Evaluate the strategic merits of Christchurch’s precinct-based rebuild post-earthquake.
• Defined precincts as micro-scale economic clusters with unique offerings.
• Assessed economic benefits, success factors, and risks.

The precincts I refer covered the six key areas of development in Christchurch:

1. Health Precinct
2. Innovation Precinct
3. Justice Precinct
4. Convention Centre Precinct
5. Retail Precinct
6. Performing Arts Precinct

Each precinct was considered in terms of:

• Strategic intent
• SWOT analysis
• Expected benefits
• Success factors (what would it take to make the precincts work)
• Degree of specialisation and coordination between the precincts to ensure the programme benefits were achieved (each precinct on its own was only part of the puzzle to rebuild the economy, urban form and social fabric)

The key themes, or relevant points to note, that emerged from the first phase of work included:

• The underlying purpose related to Agglomeration Benefits: Co-location fosters innovation, productivity, and economic growth.
• There were fundamentals Precinct Success Factors: All of the precincts would require effective market analysis, stakeholder engagement, leadership, infrastructure, and collaboration.
• There had to be a clear and consistent Strategic Framework that was applied, and government investment to anchor each precinct: Precincts aim to attract businesses, achieve efficiencies, and reshape Christchurch’s economic geography. The urban form is important, and high quality public realm alongside core social infrastructure should be funded by the government as a catalyst for private sector investment to follow.

The framework for progressing the development of each precinct included:

• Strategic Goals: Objectives driving the precinct programme.
• Benefits: Economic and social outcomes expected from precinct development.
• Success Factors: Critical elements needed to ensure precinct success.

Each layer builds on the previous, showing how precincts are designed to achieve strategic goals, which in turn generate benefits, all supported by foundational success factors.

The Blueprint Precinct Analysis provided detailed evaluations of six key precincts in Christchurch’s post-earthquake rebuild strategy. Here's a summary of what we thought each precinct would achieve, the benefits of achieving them, the risks associated with its delivery and the critical success factors required to ensure they could live up to the expectations we set for them!

Health Precinct

• Purpose: Co-locate health education, research, and service delivery near Christchurch Hospital.
• Benefits: Infrastructure/resource sharing, knowledge spillovers, potential for specialisation.
• Risks: Demand uncertainty, unclear coordination, competition from other precincts.
• Success Factors: Strong market demand, private sector involvement, infrastructure design, partnerships with academic institutions.

Innovation Precinct

• Purpose: Focus on ICT and other innovative sectors; attract startups and research institutions.
• Benefits: High potential for knowledge spillovers, collaboration, and productivity gains.
• Risks: Unverified demand, high rent costs, lack of coordination, competition from other cities.
• Success Factors: Clear strategy, public/private champions, robust business case, social infrastructure to support collaboration.

Justice Precinct

• Purpose: Co-locate justice and emergency services to improve operational efficiency.
• Benefits: Resource sharing, logistical efficiencies, improved coordination.
• Risks: Governance and cooperation challenges.
• Success Factors: Strong public sector leadership, clear strategy, infrastructure design.

Convention Centre Precinct

• Purpose: Create a landmark civic asset to attract conventions and tourism.
• Benefits: Economic stimulus, amenity enhancement, investment signalling.
• Risks: Commercial viability, demand uncertainty, competition.
• Success Factors: Government support, partnerships, infrastructure quality, strategic integration with surrounding areas.

Retail Precinct

• Purpose: Revitalise central city retail, enhance amenity, and attract residents.
• Benefits: Comparison shopping, vibrancy, economic stimulus.
• Risks: Fragmented land ownership, demand shifts (e.g. online shopping), design challenges.
• Success Factors: Market alignment, private sector leadership, master planning, infrastructure integration.

Performing Arts Precinct

• Purpose: Support arts and culture, enhance city vibrancy and amenity.
• Benefits: Creative synergy, community engagement, cultural identity.
• Risks: Commercial viability, demand uncertainty, limited investment impact.
• Success Factors: Clear strategy, partnerships, infrastructure sharing, governance structure.

In addition to the precincts, there were several frames, one being the residential eastern border of the city, the second bordering the southern side of the city now a creative and hospitality hub, and the third following the Avon River along the western and northern sides of the city. The value of public realm amenity deserves its own article, so not covered in detail here.

So how much progress has been made in the last 15 years? Here’s a very high level overview of the current status of each of the six Christchurch Blueprint Precincts based on the latest available sources:

Health Precinct (Te Papa Hauora)

• Status: Operational and evolving.
• Progress: The precinct has become a hub integrating healthcare, research, education, and industry. Partners include Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, and Ara Institute.
• Initiatives: Focus on population health, innovation, and collaboration. Infrastructure improvements like bus shelters are underway to enhance accessibility.

Innovation Precinct

• Status: Partially developed, with mixed progress.
• Progress: Anchor tenants like Vodafone and Kathmandu have established headquarters. Hospitality and retail venues are active, but some areas remain underdeveloped.
• Challenges: Vacant lots and slow development in some blocks. Full connectivity of laneways and public squares is still pending.

Justice Precinct

• Status: Fully operational since 2018.
• Progress: A $300 million project housing all justice and emergency services in one location. Includes Ministry of Justice, Police, Corrections, Fire and Emergency NZ, and Civil Defence.
• Impact: Largest multi-agency government co-location project in NZ history. Designed to improve collaboration and emergency response coordination.

Convention Centre Precinct (Te Pae)

• Status: Open and active since December 2021.
• Progress: Te Pae is a world-class venue hosting national and international events. Features include a 1,400-seat auditorium, exhibition halls, and meeting rooms.
• Design: Inspired by Canterbury’s braided rivers and Māori cultural narratives. Managed by ASM Global, with strong operational performance.

Retail Precinct

• Status: Largely developed, with ongoing enhancements.
• Progress: Key developments like The Crossing and The Terrace are complete or nearing completion. Retail and hospitality businesses are active, though some gaps remain.
• Future Plans: A new mixed-use precinct called “Downtown Christchurch” is planned to further transform the area, with construction expected to begin in 2026.

Performing Arts Precinct

• Status: Partially developed, with new proposals underway.
• Progress: Includes the restored Isaac Theatre Royal, The Piano venue, and the Court Theatre (under construction). A vacant site on Gloucester St is open for proposals.
• Future Vision: Ideas include a public outdoor theatre hub (“The Hexagon”) and flexible public spaces. Council is seeking development proposals to enhance the precinct.

Christchurch is not perfect, ask anyone involved in the delivery of these major project! Getting the projects designed, funded and procured, took patience resilience and lot of hard work, and there are still elements that have not been delivered. However, no one expected that this scale of urban renewal would be complete within two development cycles, after all urban regeneration takes time.

A note on the residential aspect of the city centre: While the residential development and higher density apartment dwellings have been slower to eventuate than the vast amount of greenfields development at the periphery of the city (which arguably has kept house prices affordable but cannibalized the residential opportunity in the central city), fast forward 15 years at the eastern frame comprising a 7.7-hectare redevelopment forming the eastern edge of the CBD with several residential precincts of its own.  The Avon offers green city living near the river and Margaret Mahy Playground, Latimer; more classical urban living with heritage buildings and Lichfield end with more creative, industrial-style lofts and warehouse conversions. The area features a linear park spine, diverse residential typologies, and integration with existing structures.

In summary, from a high level perspective, these projects have largely been successful (although no formal evaluation of their benefits realisation frameworks has been undertaken, or if it has, it has not been made public). We understand that the convention center has exceeded utilisation rates and occupancy is growing year on year. The performing arts precinct Piano development is the same. These are now places that people frequent and cafes and bars are plentiful. When you move around Christchurch it is busy and the feeling of possibility is evident in the new developments that we see coming online; the commercial development pipeline is strong. As of May 2025, Christchurch has 35 active commercial projects underway or planned, according to CBRE’s New Development Monitor. Industrial: 71% of new development (101,000m²), led by Hornby, Rolleston, and Middleton, Retail: 17% (24,000m²), Office: 12% (17,000m²). In summary there is strong growth in industrial and mixed-use developments across the city.

Arguably, the precincts have played their role, in shifting the economic geography of the city catalysing private sector investment into the ongoing development of Christchurch city.