105-574: A residential red zone is any of several areas of land in and around Christchurch , New Zealand, that experienced severe damage in the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and were deemed infeasible to rebuild on. Through voluntary buyouts, the Crown acquired and demolished or removed over 8,000 properties. The majority were located in a broad swath of the eastern suburbs along the Avon River / Ōtākaro that had suffered damage from soil liquefaction . In
210-497: A BMX track, a dog park, mixed use business areas, provision for heritage and mahinga kai activities, roads and infrastructure sites and rural activities." Seeking to rebrand the devastated red zone, the plan renames the condemned areas as "regeneration areas." 43°30′21″S 172°40′47″E / 43.50583°S 172.67972°E / -43.50583; 172.67972 Christchurch Christchurch ( / ˈ k r aɪ s . tʃ ɜːr tʃ / ; Māori : Ōtautahi )
315-540: A basis that was not warranted by the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010 . Quake Outcasts also included owners of vacant land who were unable to insure their properties because they had not yet built structures on them, and were therefore denied compensation based on lack of insurance. In 2019, the government opted to settle with the Quake Outcasts, paying them out rather than prolonging
420-542: A city by royal charter on 31 July 1856, making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand. Christchurch was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, with the opening of the Main South Line railway and the development of state housing saw rapid growth in the city's economy and population. Christchurch has strong cultural connections with its European elements and architectural identity. Christchurch
525-637: A decrease of 402 people (−75.7%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 951 people (−88.1%) since the 2006 census . There were 42 households, comprising 63 males and 63 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 45.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 18 people (14.0%) aged under 15 years, 30 (23.3%) aged 15 to 29, 69 (53.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 15 (11.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 79.1% European/ Pākehā , 11.6% Māori , 2.3% Pasifika , 11.6% Asian , and 2.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer
630-421: A factor in what was, effectively, the condemnation of their homes: they argued that since it would be infeasible to live in a red zone after the rest of the area was demolished and services terminated, the government was effectively taking their homes via compulsory purchase , and ought to pay them compensation. A group called Quake Outcasts sued the government, alleging that they suffered unlawful discrimination on
735-590: A few months later in December 1856. In 1862 the Christchurch City Council was established. By 1874, Christchurch was New Zealand's fourth-largest city with a population of 14,270 residents. Between 1871 and 1876 nearly 20,000 immigrants arrived in Canterbury, and through the 1880s frozen meat joined wool as a primary export. The last decades of the nineteenth-century were a period of significant growth for
840-405: A few months later, which occurred directly under the city centre and also caused widespread damage, but this was less severe. Nearly two months later, on Tuesday 22 February 2011, an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.3 struck the city at 12:51 pm. Its hypocentre was located closer to the city, near Lyttelton, at a depth of 5 km (3 mi). Although lower on the moment magnitude scale than
945-554: A grid pattern, centred on Cathedral Square . Growth initially took place along the tramlines, leading to radial development. Major expansion occurred in the 1950s and 60s, with the development of large areas of state housing . Settlements that had originally been remote, such as Sumner , New Brighton , Upper Riccarton and Papanui eventually became amalgamated into the expanding city. The Christchurch functional urban area , as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 2,408.1 km (929.8 sq mi). Towns and settlements in
1050-582: A number of minor natural disasters during this period. Heavy rain caused the Waimakariri River to flood Christchurch in February 1868. Victoria Square (known as Market Place at the time) was left underwater with "the whole left side of the [Avon] river from Montreal-street bridge to Worcester street was all one lake, as deep as up to a horse's belly". Christchurch buildings were damaged by earthquakes in 1869 , 1881 and 1888 . The 1888 earthquake caused
1155-435: A period when there was also slow subsidence in the eastern coastal plains of Canterbury and Christchurch. The result has been the deposition of sequences of mostly fluvial gravel (occurring during periods of low sea level and glaciation), and fine deposits of silt, sand and clay, with some peat, shells and wood (occurring during interglacial periods when the sea level was similar to the present). The layers of gravel beneath
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#17328587198381260-412: A population density of 1,370 people per km . Brooklands, Christchurch Brooklands is the northernmost suburb of Christchurch , New Zealand. The settlement was built on former swamp land adjacent to Brooklands Lagoon , which forms part of the Waimakariri River mouth. The land damage sustained in the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and subsequent Red Zone classification resulted in
1365-769: A population density of 13.0 people per km. Ōtākaro-Avon River Corridor had a population of 99 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 1,164 people (−92.2%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 10,287 people (−99.0%) since the 2006 census . There were 39 households, comprising 45 males and 51 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.88 males per female. The median age was 33.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 21 people (21.2%) aged under 15 years, 21 (21.2%) aged 15 to 29, 45 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (9.1%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 78.8% European/ Pākehā , 27.3% Māori , 3.0% Pasifika , 9.1% Asian , and 6.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1470-521: Is also home to a number of performing arts centres and academic institutions (including the University of Canterbury ). Christchurch has hosted numerous international sporting events, notably the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The city has been recognised as an Antarctic gateway since 1901, and is nowadays one of the five Antarctic gateway cities hosting Antarctic support bases for several nations. Christchurch
1575-625: Is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula . The Avon River (Ōtākaro) winds through the centre of the city, with a large urban park along its banks. With the exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. Christchurch has a reputation for being an English city, with its architectural identity and nickname
1680-538: Is defined as the area centred on Cathedral Square and within the Four Avenues (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue and Deans Avenue). It includes Hagley Park , and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens . The design of the central city with its grid pattern of streets, city squares and parkland was laid out by 1850. The central city was among the most heavily damaged areas of Christchurch in
1785-696: Is recorded. The lowest temperature recorded in Christchurch was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in the suburb of Wigram in July 1945. On cold winter nights, the surrounding hills, clear skies, and frosty calm conditions often combine to form a stable inversion layer above the city that traps vehicle exhausts and smoke from domestic fires to cause smog. While not as bad as smog in Los Angeles or Mexico City, Christchurch smog has often exceeded World Health Organisation recommendations for air pollution. To limit air pollution,
1890-554: Is served by the Christchurch Airport in Harewood , the country's second-busiest airport. The city suffered a series of earthquakes from September 2010 , with the most destructive occurring on 22 February 2011 , in which 185 people were killed and thousands of buildings across the city suffered severe damage, with a few central city buildings collapsing, leading to ongoing recovery and rebuilding projects. Christchurch later became
1995-607: Is sometimes used for festivals as well. The vacant, albeit damaged, roads are used for a driving school and as a testing ground for autonomous or radio-controlled vehicles. Before the demolitions were complete, some of the vacant houses were also used by the New Zealand Army for training exercises. Land within the Waimakariri District is owned and managed by the Waimakariri District Council. Ex-residents of
2100-405: Is the best option we have." The government decided to pursue a simple process in order to provide clarity and support for landowners, residents, and businesses. Hence a "red zone" was established for areas in and around Christchurch where rebuilding would not be allowed, as contrasted with the "green zone" where all repairs and rebuilds were allowed. The initial announcement of residential red zones
2205-686: Is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand . Christchurch has an urban population of 415,100, and a metropolitan population of over half a million. It is located in the Canterbury Region , near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains . It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay , and
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#17328587198382310-481: The Ballantynes department store on the corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets unexpectedly burned out of control, resulting in New Zealand's worst fire disaster . Despite being initially thought to be under control, the fire suddenly spread to the upper floors and consumed the entire building within minutes. The speed of the fire trapped 41 staff members on the upper floor, all of whom were killed. The department store
2415-633: The Bridle Path because the path was so steep that pack horses needed to be led by the bridle . Goods that were too heavy or bulky to be transported by pack horse over the Bridle Path were shipped by small sailing vessels some 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) by sea around the coast and up the Avon Heathcote Estuary to Ferrymead . Overturned boats at the Sumner bar were a frequent cause of new arrivals to
2520-578: The Charlotte Jane was the first to arrive on 16 December 1850. The Canterbury Pilgrims had aspirations of building a city around a cathedral and college, on the model of Christ Church in Oxford . Transport between the port and the new settlement at Christchurch was a major problem for the early settlers. By December 1849, Thomas had commissioned the construction of a road from Port Cooper, later Lyttelton , to Christchurch via Evans Pass and Sumner . By
2625-519: The Halswell River begins north-west of the Port Hills on the periphery of Christchurch and flows to Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora . As a consequence of the flat terrain and spring-fed streams, large parts of the area now occupied by Christchurch City were originally a coastal wetland, with extensive swamp forests. Much of the forest was destroyed by fire, mostly likely by the earliest inhabitants, from around 1000 CE . When European settlers arrived in
2730-477: The 'Garden City' due to similarities with garden cities in England, but also has a historic Māori heritage. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall. The area of modern-day greater Christchurch was first inhabited by the historic Māori iwi Waitaha in the mid-thirteenth century. Waitaha, who occupied the swamplands with patchworks of marshland , were invaded by Kāti Māmoe in
2835-481: The 19th century, the area was a mixture of swamp and tussock grasslands, with only remnant patches of forest. An early European visitor was William Barnard Rhodes , captain of the barque Australian, who climbed the Port Hills from Lyttelton Harbour in September 1836 and observed a large grassy plain with two small areas of forest. He reported that "All the land that I saw was swamp and mostly covered with water". Most of
2940-399: The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, many areas in and around Christchurch were severely affected by soil liquefaction , lateral spreading, and/or rockslides. Many flatland areas were flooded and covered in silt as a result of liquefaction, and houses and utilities were damaged. Such areas were rendered effectively uninhabitable by the quakes. Some land in and around Christchurch was so damaged that
3045-476: The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Following the second earthquake, the Central City Red Zone was set up as an exclusion zone for public safety reasons, and many parts remained closed to the public until June 2013. A large number of heritage buildings were demolished following the earthquake, along with most of the city's high rise buildings . The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan was developed to lead
3150-713: The Avon River / Ōtākaro suitable for international rowing regattas, remains under consideration as a long-term land use for the red zone. However, Regenerate Christchurch is doubtful of the plan for environmental reasons. The Waimakariri Residential Red Zone Recovery Plan seeks to rehabilitate the condemned land around the mouth of the Waimakariri River in Waimakariri District , especially in Kaiapoi . Proposed land uses "include new parks and reserves, walking and cycling links,
3255-821: The Blessed Sacrament was opened in February 1905. It was designed by Francis Petre with inspiration from the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Paris. In 1906, the New Zealand International Exhibition opened in Hagley Park, which had over a million visitors. In 1908, the city experienced its first major fire which started at the Strange's Department Store and destroyed buildings in central Christchurch on High St, Cashel St and Lichfield Streets. Christchurch
Residential red zone - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-480: The Chief Censor, making the footage illegal to possess and distribute within New Zealand. On 2 June 2020, the attacker pleaded guilty to multiple charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. On 27 August, he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole, the first time such a sentence was handed down in New Zealand. Christchurch is halfway along the east coast of the South Island , facing
3465-646: The Christchurch urban area , 3,310 people in the Lyttelton urban area, 1,720 people in the Diamond Harbour urban area, and 6,770 people in rural settlements and areas. Christchurch City had a population of 391,383 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 22,377 people (6.1%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 49,914 people (14.6%) since the 2013 census . There were 192,684 males, 196,557 females and 2,139 people of other genders in 150,909 dwellings. 4.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
3570-456: The February 2011 earthquake. As of 2015, the majority of properties in Brooklands have been demolished, leaving only 25 residents who refused the government land-buyout offers remaining in the area. Brooklands covers 3.08 km (1.19 sq mi). It is part of the larger Brooklands-Spencerville statistical area . Brooklands had a population of 129 at the 2018 New Zealand census ,
3675-647: The North Island and invaded the Christchurch basin, ultimately gaining control of much of Canterbury. Kāi Tahu arrived a century later, and the two ultimately absorbed Waitaha through a mixture of conflict and marriage. For these early Māori, the area of Christchurch was an important foraging ground and a seasonal settlement. Several Māori settlements were within Christchurch during the early-nineteenth century, such as Pūtarikamotu in modern-day Riccarton , and Papanui . In both cases these were located in areas of surviving tall forest. In South New Brighton there
3780-453: The Port Hill almost reaching Governors Bay in the south-west. Eleven houses were destroyed by fire and over 2,076 hectares (5,130 acres) of land was burned. In 2024, a second fire on the Port Hills burned 700 hectares (1,700 acres). The fire was also started under similarly suspicious circumstances. Lessons from the 2017 fire contributed to a more effective emergency response, and the fire
3885-556: The South Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the Port Hills on Banks Peninsula to its south, the city sits on flat land, on average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. The present land mass of New Zealand split from the super continent of Gondwana around 85 million years ago. Prior to that time, mudstone and hardened sandstones commonly known as greywacke was deposited and deformed by tectonic movement. Following
3990-507: The Tautahi in question was the son of the Port Levy chief Huikai. Prior to that, Ngāi Tahu generally referred to the Christchurch area as Karaitiana , an anglicised version. "ChCh" is commonly used as an abbreviation of Christchurch . In New Zealand Sign Language , Christchurch is signed with two Cs. Prior to European occupation of the modern-day greater Christchurch area, the land
4095-455: The area begins in approximately 1250 C.E., with evidence of prolonged occupation beginning no later than 1350 AD. These first occupants lived in coastal caves around modern-day Sumner , and preyed upon local species of moa . The early settlers and their descendants became known as the historic Waitaha iwi. Around c. 1500 the Kāti Māmoe iwi migrated south from the east coast of
4200-659: The area in 1849 and 1850. Working with his assistant, Edward Jollie , they named the various ports and settlements in the area, and chose a simple grid pattern for the streets of Christchurch. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. These sailing vessels were the Randolph , Charlotte Jane , Sir George Seymour , and Cressy . The journey took three to four months, and
4305-401: The buyout and demolition of nearly all properties in Brooklands, effectively wiping the suburb off the map. To the north, the Waimakariri River is the boundary. Brooklands Lagoon is the eastern part of the suburb, facing Pegasus Bay and forming part of the Waimakariri River mouth. The Styx River flows through Brooklands and into Brooklands Lagoon. Kainga is the semi-rural suburb to
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4410-796: The census question. At the 2018 census, Europeans formed the majority in all sixteen wards, ranging from 57.7% in the Riccarton ward to 93.1% in the Banks Peninsula ward. The highest concentrations of Māori and Pasifika people were in the Linwood ward (18.3% and 9.0% respectively), followed by the Burwood ward (15.5% and 6.6%), while the highest concentrations of Asian people were in the Riccarton ward (34.9%) and Waimairi ward (26.7%). Christchurch urban area covers 294.43 km (113.68 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 403,300 as of June 2024, with
4515-441: The census's question about religious affiliation, 51.2% had no religion, 30.2% were Christian and 2.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (18.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 24 (21.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 37,100, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 12 people (10.8%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4620-528: The central city remaining relatively unchanged between 1914 and 1960, Christchurch grew rapidly during the 20th century in part due to the construction of many state houses . The earliest state houses were built in Sydenham in the 1900s, to house workers that were employed in nearby factories, with more houses built in 1909 near the Addington Railway Workshops . In November 1947, a basement fire at
4725-481: The city's parkland and natural environment. Researchers at Lincoln University estimate "the total annual value of benefits to Christchurch residents, savings in public health costs deriving from a recreational reserve and the value of ecosystem services in the ARRRZ [Avon River Residential Red Zone] to be approximately $ 94.1 million/year." The plan is intended to adapt to rising sea levels which are expected to flood part of
4830-593: The city, despite the national economic depression. Many of the city's stone Gothic Revival buildings by provincial architect Benjamin Mountfort date from around this period, including Canterbury University College , ChristChurch Cathedral , Canterbury Museum , and the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings , among others. Mountfort oversaw construction of a prison on Lincon Road in 1874, which operated until 1999. Christchurch experienced
4935-525: The colony losing all their luggage. The Sumner Road was completed in 1857, though this did not alleviate the transport problems. In 1858 the provincial superintendent William Sefton Moorhouse announced that a tunnel would be dug between Lyttelton and Christchurch. While the tunnel was under construction, New Zealand's first public railway line, the Ferrymead Railway , opened from Ferrymead to Christchurch in 1863. Between 1853 and 1876 Christchurch
5040-431: The demand. As such, whereas quake-damaged eastern Christchurch is experiencing a cooling of economic activity, the western suburbs are experiencing more growth. In the 2010–2011 Christchurch earthquakes, many areas of the city built on alluvial soils experienced severe soil liquefaction which damaged roads, utilities, and buildings. About 7,400 homes were zoned red in the flatlands. The majority of red-zoned areas were in
5145-465: The demolished neighbourhoods along the Avon River / Ōtākaro are broadly in favour of turning their old homes into a park, with organisations such as the Avon-Ōtākaro Network lobbying to "[change] Christchurch's Avon River red zone from a place of trauma and heartache to a land of fun and natural beauty." The government's long-term earthquake recovery organisation, Regenerate Christchurch, developed
5250-414: The disestablishment of CERA in 2016, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) manages the land within Christchurch, taking responsibility for managing vegetation, cleaning rubbish, and providing security. Pending a permanent land use, LINZ allows the vacant red zone to be used for activities such as community gardening , mountain biking , and beekeeping on a temporary basis (up to 5 years in length). The land
5355-400: The eastern Canterbury plains and Christchurch area form an artesian aquifer with the interbedded fine sediments as an impermeable layer, or aquiclude. Water pressure from the artesian aquifer has led to the formation of numerous spring-fed streams. In Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro and Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River rivers have spring-fed sources in the western suburbs of Christchurch, and
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#17328587198385460-463: The eastern suburbs along the Avon River / Ōtākaro , downstream of Christchurch Central City . Affected areas included Avonside , Wainoni , Dallington , Avondale , Burwood , New Brighton , and Bexley . Some of the condemned subdivisions had been constructed less than 10 years prior to the earthquakes. Several areas along the mouth of the Waimakariri River were placed in the red zone. Nearly all of Christchurch's northernmost suburb, Brooklands ,
5565-457: The eastern, southern and northern parts of the city were wet areas when European settlement began. Over the period since European settlement commenced, land drainage works have enabled development of land across the city. There are now only small remnants of wetland remaining, such as Riccarton Bush , Travis Wetland , Ōtukaikino wetland, and the Cashmere Valley. Christchurch Central City
5670-486: The first, of magnitude 5.8 according to the US Geological Survey, 26 km (16 mi) north-east of the city at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 mi), at 13:58, followed by several aftershocks and another earthquake of magnitude 6.0 and similar location 80 minutes later. On 13 February 2017, two bush fires started on the Port Hills . These later merged and the single large wildfire extended down both sides of
5775-458: The functional urban area include: Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with a mild summer, cool winter, and regular moderate rainfall. It has mean daily maximum air temperatures of 22.6 °C (73 °F) in January and 10.9 °C (52 °F) in July. Summer in the city is mostly warm, but is often moderated by a sea breeze from the north-east. A notable feature of
5880-414: The government determined that making the land safe for rebuilding would take years and require the demolition of most, if not all, buildings, and the eviction of their tenants. Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority head Gerry Brownlee said "Full land repair in these areas may mean that every house would need to be removed…. Giving people the ability to relocate on land where they can rebuild immediately
5985-480: The government determined that zoning most properties immediately, thus giving their owners certainty, was preferable to postponing the announcement until all decisions were complete. Several areas were temporarily zoned as "orange zones", indicating areas that still needed an engineering assessment, or "white zones", indicating properties in the Port Hills whose rockfall risk had not yet been assessed. By October 2012, all zones had been assessed as either red or green, so
6090-597: The highest 7.8 metres of the Christchurch Cathedral spire to collapse, many chimneys were broken, and the Durham Street Methodist Church had its stonework damaged. In November 1901, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake , centred near Cheviot , caused the spire on top of ChristChurch Cathedral to collapse again, but this time only the top 1.5 metres fell. On this occasion, it was rebuilt with timber and metal instead of stone. The Catholic Cathedral of
6195-501: The highest for the Christchurch metropolitan area was 42.4 °C (108 °F) recorded in Rangiora on the same day. In winter, subfreezing temperatures are common, with nights falling below 0 °C (32 °F) an average of 50 times a year at Christchurch Airport and 23 times a year in the city centre. There are on average 80 days of ground frost per year. Snowfall occurs on average three times per year, although in some years none
6300-526: The hills. About 700 homes were zoned red in the hills. Affected areas included hillside properties in the suburbs of Sumner , Redcliffs , and Ferrymead . Since many of the rockslides often occurred later than the main February 2011 quake (especially in the June 2011 earthquake ), these properties were usually red-zoned later than the flatland properties, sometimes as late as November 2013, over two years afterwards. The Crown made two offers for insured homeowners in
6405-405: The legal battle. Member of Parliament Megan Woods stated that the settlement would allow people to move on with their lives. Another source of controversy was that insurance companies paid out less than the full value of some houses if the companies found that, based on the structural characteristics of the house, it was repairable, even though the red zone legally prohibited such repairs. Since
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#17328587198386510-530: The mountains carried alluvial gravels over the area that is now the Canterbury Plains , covering the underlying rock to depths of between 200 and 600 metres. Continuing tectonic movement created faults that penetrate from the greywacke rock into the layers above. These faults remain beneath Canterbury and Christchurch. The glacial/interglacial cycles of the Quaternary Period led to multiple rises and falls in sea level. These sea level changes occurred over
6615-459: The offers, the Christchurch City Council could "reach the view that it is no longer feasible or practical to continue to maintain services to the remaining properties," and home insurance companies might refuse to provide or renew coverage. Indeed, city buses have been rerouted out of the red zone, and mail deliveries were cancelled in 2014, so that any remaining residents are living in areas with minimal government services. 98% of homeowners within
6720-447: The one-way system running through central Christchurch was established. The first two streets to be made one-way were Lichfield and St Asaph streets. They were followed by Barbadoes, Madras, Salisbury and Kilmore streets. A police station opened in 1973 on Hereford street, it was imploded and demolished in 2015. Christchurch hosted the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The sports complex
6825-505: The ongoing earthquake recovery, the government announced on 17 November 2011 that the vast majority of Brooklands has been zoned red , meaning that those residential properties that have insurance would receive an offer for a government buyout of house and land. The land is deemed uneconomic to repair whilst houses are on it and will thus be bought. Some of the properties now condemned were built in 2011, and at least one house got its building consent from Christchurch City Council only after
6930-407: The orange and white zones were eliminated. The suburbs that were lost contained a relatively high proportion of more affordable housing, including social housing and rentals. Many urban Māori people lived in the red zone. Most of the displaced people moved to less-damaged outer suburbs, as well as the neighbouring Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts , and new subdivisions were constructed to meet
7035-459: The planned new city, including its own cathedral, the smallest in England. Other possibilities are that it was named for Christchurch, Dorset , or for Canterbury Cathedral . Many of the early colonists did not like the name, preferring instead the name Lyttelton, but the Colonists' Council resolved to stick with the name of Christchurch in 1851, because it had been used by surveyors and distinguished
7140-420: The population of workers in the city, which soon spread industrialisation to Sydenham . As central Christchurch grew, many cottages were demolished to make way for light-industrial and retail premises near Moorhouse Avenue as they expanded south. Many churches were also built to compensate for its growing Christian population. The population of Christchurch exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 1919. Despite
7245-418: The previous earthquake, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be IX ( Violent ) , among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area, which killed 185 people. On 13 June 2011 Christchurch was again rocked by two more large aftershocks . This resulted in more liquefaction and building damage, but no more lives were lost. There were further earthquakes on 23 December 2011;
7350-445: The property, one of six different treatment types was applied: grassland, riparian buffer area, dune, estuarine edge, wet areas, and no clearance treatment (for areas with existing non-intensive land use such as grazing). Owing to the policy of leaving most vegetation in place, many trees and shrubs that once marked lot boundaries still remain in their rectangular alignments around the houses that have been demolished. The last demolition
7455-569: The rebuild of the city centre, and featured 17 "anchor projects". There has been massive growth in the residential sector in the central city, particularly in the East Frame development. There are currently no legal definition of the boundaries of suburbs in Christchurch. The suburb boundaries are largely defined by third-party agencies, such as Statistics New Zealand and New Zealand Post , and may differ between agencies or sources. The earliest suburbs of Christchurch were laid out with streets in
7560-420: The red zone contained many abandoned buildings that attracted squatters and crime. After removing the structures, the Crown then assumed responsibility for upkeep of the land. The land was treated by levelling it and planting it with grass. However, indigenous plants, as well as trees and shrubs over a certain height (4 metres or 6 metres depending on context) were retained. Depending on the natural environment of
7665-452: The red zone contend with tyre punctures from unrepaired, earthquake-damaged roads, and the risk of crime in the little-serviced area. Once the Crown bought the land, tenants vacated the property, and insurance settlements were finalised, private contractors were hired to demolish the houses. Some houses, rather than being demolished, were moved to other areas. It took several years until all demolitions and removals were completed, in which time
7770-407: The red zone: All buyout prices would be based on 2007 valuation of the properties, the most recent data available before the 2010 earthquake. The initial announcement of red zones occurred on 24 June 2011, and residents were given 9 months to consider their offers. Other areas, which had initially been zoned either orange or white, were not zoned until later: the suburb of Brooklands , for example,
7875-440: The red zones accepted the Crown's offer to purchase their properties. Around 125 households opted to stay in their homes instead. Many of those who remained, known colloquially as "stayers," were uninsured and, in the absence of a government buyout (which was only offered to homeowners with home insurance), could not afford to leave their homes. Many were also older, as those without mortgage payments could afford to remain. Stayers in
7980-446: The regional council banned the use of open fires in the city in 2006. Christchurch City covers a land area of 1,415.15 km (546.39 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 415,100 as of June 2024, with a population density of 293 people per km . This is the second-most populous area administered by a single council in New Zealand, and the largest city in the South Island . The population comprises 403,300 people in
8085-406: The retail business of the central city moving out to urban shopping malls. These typically included large car parking areas to suit the growing shift towards personal car ownership, and away from public transport. Hornby became a significant industrial suburb in the 1960s, with industrial and residential premises expanding westwards. The Lyttelton road tunnel between Lyttelton and Christchurch
8190-518: The settlement from the port. The Māori name for modern-day Christchurch is Ōtautahi , meaning ' the place of Tautahi ' . It was adopted as the Māori name for the city in the 1930s. Ōtautahi precisely refers to a specific site by the Avon River / Ōtākaro in Central Christchurch. The site was a seasonal food-gathering place of Ngāi Tahu chief Te Pōtiki Tautahi. A different account claims
8295-501: The site of a terrorist attack targeting two mosques on 15 March 2019. The name Christchurch was adopted at the first meeting of the Canterbury Association on 27 March 1848. The reason it was chosen is not known with certainty, but the most likely reason is it was named after Christ Church, Oxford , the alma mater of many members of the association, including John Robert Godley . Christ Church college had similarities with
8400-461: The sixteenth century, and then were absorbed by Kāi Tahu a century later. Ōtautahi was inhabited seasonally, and a major trading centre was established at Kaiapoi Pā . British colonial settlement began in the mid-nineteenth century. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims from Britain to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. It became
8505-541: The split from Gondwana, during the period between 80 and 23 million years ago, the land became eroded and subsided below sea level. Marine and terrestrial sediments were deposited, leaving the greywacke as the oldest and deepest layers ( basement rock ). Around 11–6 million years ago, volcanic eruptions created the Banks Peninsula volcanic complex . Over the last two million years as the Southern Alps were rising, there were multiple periods of glaciation . Rivers flowing from
8610-507: The time that John Robert Godley arrived in April 1850 all of the funds for public works had been used up in constructing the road. Godley ordered that all work on the road should stop, leaving the steep foot and pack horse track that had been hastily constructed over the hill between the port and the Heathcote valley as the only land-access to the area of Christchurch. This track became known as
8715-427: The weather is the nor'wester , a hot föhn wind that occasionally reaches storm force, causing widespread minor damage to property. Like many cities, Christchurch experiences an urban heat island effect; temperatures are slightly higher within the inner-city regions compared to the surrounding countryside. The highest temperature recorded in Christchurch was 41.6 °C (106.9 °F) on 7 February 1973, however
8820-435: The west. Bottle Lake Forest is located to the south of Brooklands. In the 1960s, Brooklands was a "ramshackle settlement of fibrolite houses", and well-built dwellings were "almost a talking point". Fifty years on, houses were much more substantial. The suburb was badly affected by the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake , resulting in land subsidence and liquefaction . As part of
8925-399: The Ōtākaro/Avon River Corridor Regeneration Plan to make the Avon River red zone into a large park stretching from downtown Christchurch to the Avon Heathcote Estuary by the ocean. Such a park, at 602 hectares (6.02 km), will be nearly four times the size of Christchurch's Hagley Park , and Regenerate Christchurch considers this vast new urban open space a unique opportunity to improve
9030-418: The Ōtākaro/Avon River Corridor. The plans also acknowledge the existing Māori heritage in the area of Horseshoe Lake, an old oxbow lake of the Avon River / Ōtākaro, where there was once a Ngāi Tahu settlement. The plan calls for educational institutions that preserve and spread Māori culture. The plan was approved on 23 August 2019. The East Lake development, which would create an open water course along
9135-400: Was $ 22,500, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 6 people (7.7%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 33 (42.3%) people were employed full-time, 9 (11.5%) were part-time, and 6 (7.7%) were unemployed. Several properties in the Port Hills experienced rockslides , especially in the aftershock of 13 June , which had its epicentre in
9240-642: Was $ 40,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 35,010 people (10.7%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 163,554 (50.1%) people were employed full-time, 47,463 (14.5%) were part-time, and 8,913 (2.7%) were unemployed. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 75.9% European ( Pākehā ); 11.2% Māori ; 4.3% Pasifika ; 17.1% Asian ; 1.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
9345-402: Was 18.2, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.6% had no religion, 30.3% were Christian , 6.1% had Māori religious beliefs and 3.0% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 6 (7.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 21 (26.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
9450-449: Was 37.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 64,722 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 84,633 (21.6%) aged 15 to 29, 178,113 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 63,912 (16.3%) aged 65 or older. Of those at least 15 years old, 70,764 (21.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 160,440 (49.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 73,659 (22.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income
9555-695: Was a crucial factor in the decision of where to place the settlement of Christchurch, as it proved that the swampy ground could be farmed. The Deans brothers named their farm after their former parish in Ayrshire , Scotland; they also named the river near their farm after the Avon Water in South Lanarkshire , which rises in the hills near to where their grandfather's farm was located. The Canterbury Association 's Chief Surveyor, Captain Joseph Thomas , surveyed
9660-421: Was a major Māori settlement named Te Kai-a-Te-Karoro , this was an important food-gathering area to Ngāi Tūāhuriri that had kelp gull presence and mānuka scrub. Te Ihutai (The Avon Heathcote Estuary ) was an important food source for local iwi and hapū , the estuary providing food such as, flounder and shellfish. Kaiapoi Pā was the most important trading area, and the centre of a thriving economy. The pā
9765-475: Was actually a combination of seven or eight different buildings, joined to form a "perplexing maze" with no sprinklers or alarm system. A subsequent Royal commission of enquiry resulted in changes to the building code to improve fire safety. Thousands of mourners, including the Prime Minister, attended a mass funeral in the aftermath. During the 1960s Christchurch experienced urban sprawl , with much of
9870-656: Was completed in October 2021. The government only offered buyouts to homeowners with home insurance , which is compulsory for home owners who hold a home loan (mortgage) in New Zealand. Brownlee argued that to buy properties from homeowners who failed to purchase insurance would create a moral hazard by setting a precedent that homeowners without insurance would receive a bailout from the government, despite not insuring their properties against damage. However, uninsured homeowners (many of whom were uninsured by mistake, due to lapses in coverage) countered that insurance status ought not be
9975-419: Was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, particularly the suburbs of Woolston and Addington , with Woolston housing a large amount of New Zealand's rubber industry. Many warehouses, factories and large premises of railway workshops were built along the Main South Line . There was notable development of breweries, flour mills , and light-commercial in Christchurch. This significantly increased
10080-594: Was located at the nexus of the major rivers of Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro, Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River and the Styx River . It was the likely richest eel fishery in the country at that time. Sugar was produced from plantations of cabbage trees . European settlement of the Canterbury Region was largely influenced by brothers William and John Deans in 1843. The Deans farm located in Riccarton Bush
10185-478: Was made on 23 June 2011, about 4 months after the February 2011 earthquake and only 11 days after the latest series of aftershocks . ( Gerry Brownlee noted that each successive aftershock made CERA's job all the more complex – the February 2011 quake, the most damaging of all, had itself been an aftershock of the September 2010 quake – so the zone announcements were postponed for months.) By 24 June, not all properties had been assessed as red or green by that point, but
10290-432: Was more-quickly contained. On 15 March 2019, fifty-one people died from two consecutive mass shootings at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre by an Australian white supremacist . Forty others were injured. The attacks have been described by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as "one of New Zealand's darkest days". Just days after the attacks the live-streamed footage became classified as objectionable by
10395-456: Was not conclusively zoned red until November 2011, eight months after the February 2011 quake. The government reviewed its offers one year later in June 2012. The Crown did not buy the land through compulsory purchase , as the offers were voluntary. However, the government emphasised the lack of infrastructure and services in the abandoned areas. They noted that for homeowners who chose not to accept
10500-465: Was open in 1973, one year before the games. On Saturday, 4 September 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Christchurch and the central Canterbury region at 4:35 am. With its hypocentre near Darfield , west of the city at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), it caused widespread damage to the city and minor injuries, but no direct fatalities. This was followed by the Boxing Day earthquake
10605-485: Was opened in 1964. Television broadcasts began in Christchurch on 1 June 1961 with the launch of channel CHTV3, making Christchurch the second New Zealand city to receive regular television broadcasts. The channel initially broadcast from a 10-kilowatt transmitter atop the Gloucester Street studios until it switched to the newly built 100-kilowatt Sugarloaf transmitter in the Port Hills on 28 August 1965. In 1969,
10710-501: Was originally swampland with patchworks of marshland, grassland, scrub and some patches of tall forest of mostly kahikatea , mataī and tōtara . The inner coastal sand dunes were covered in hardier scrub bush, including akeake , taupata , tūmatakuru , ngaio , carmichaelia , and coprosma . Christchurch was rich in birdlife prior to European colonisation, as they burned down forests and introduced predators, it led to local extinction of native birds. Evidence of human activity in
10815-533: Was redzoned, virtually erasing it. Large sections of the town of Kaiapoi , as well as the seaside communities of The Pines Beach and Kairaki , were also affected. An area of Southshore abutting the Avon-Heathcote Estuary was also red-zoned. The statistical area of Ōtākaro-Avon River Corridor includes a large part of the eastern Christchurch red zone. It covers 6.14 km (2.37 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 80 as of June 2024, with
10920-557: Was spoken by 95.8%, Māori language by 2.4%, Samoan by 1.3% and other languages by 16.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 27.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 31.6% Christian , 2.1% Hindu , 1.3% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.0% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.9%, and 6.3% of people did not answer
11025-467: Was the administrative seat of the Province of Canterbury . While slow at first, growth in the town began to accelerate towards the end of the 1850s, with a period of rapid growth between 1857 and 1864. Christchurch became the first city in New Zealand by royal charter on 31 July 1856, and Henry Harper was consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury as the local Anglican bishop. He arrived in Christchurch
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