In 1961 the population of Christchurch (within 2001 city boundaries) stood at about 232,000 people. By 2006, the total had grown to 348,400 people – an absolute increase of 50%, with an annual averaged growth rate of just over 1.0%.
The Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS), issued in 2007, indicates that the current momentum of growth over the next 40 years up to 2041 is expected to continue spreading beyond current urban limits, resulting in higher densities in Central City areas. That, in turn, will create further demands for the re-zoning of land for new housing and other urban uses, along with the extension and upgrading of essential infrastructure and various community services. The UDS provides a broad framework within which to plan and implement detailed projects at metropolitan and district levels.
Continuous and imaginative forward planning is essential for heritage preservation and urban revitalisation. The Christchurch Civic Trust (founded in 1965) thus seeks to promote the creation of:
In pursuing its mission, the Trust endeavours to collaborate closely with the Akaroa Civic Trust, the Christchurch City Council and other key stakeholders in identifying issues that need resolution and also in cultivating proposals that could be of benefit to the social, economic and environmental welfare of the general community.
