Plans to spend more than $300 million remodelling Christchurch’s Ōtākaro Avon River corridor over the next decade have been welcomed by ecological groups, but others believe more money is needed now.
Christchurch City Council has set aside $316m in its draft 10-year budget to start transforming 602-hectares of red zone land into the “jewel in Christchurch’s crown”.
Another $21m will be set aside for red zone land in Brooklands, Port Hills and Southshore.
The council also expects to spend $2.8m a year to manage and maintain the entire residential red zone, the swathe of land shattered by the Canterbury earthquakes.