Bringing more residents close to the city centre and transforming a former industrial work yard is at the heart of a brand-new housing development in Sydenham.
Following a competitive tender process, ChristchurchNZ has selected Fletcher Living to deliver a sustainable, connected housing development with affordable options for homebuyers.
The former Citycare depot between Milton St and Sydenham Park is being transformed through an innovative approach to development. In addition to the new homes, which are expected to be under construction next year, the site is also being used for much-needed city water and electricity upgrades and will be home to a new Government research facility.
The preliminary plans for the housing development include close to 80 sustainably built, affordable terrace-style homes. A mix of two- and three-bedrooms, there will be a range of housing options, including at least 11 affordable homes as well as market-priced options. Early plans indicate each home will have off-street parking and/or garaging.
Fletcher Living’s Chief Executive Residential and Development Steve Evans says, “We are delighted to be working alongside ChristchurchNZ in the development of Sydenham Yard. It is a great site close to the central city and we are looking forward to creating a community future residents will love, much like One Central.”
ChristchurchNZ Acting General Manager Urban Development - Amanda HealyWe hope the result will be a sustainable, vibrant neighbourhood with a strong sense of community. Our ultimate vision is to create a place where people love to live, work and play
ChristchurchNZ’s Urban Development team led the process to find the right developer for this challenging site through expressions of interest and requests for proposals.
ChristchurchNZ Acting General Manager Urban Development Amanda Healy says, “Fletcher Living has been fantastic working through the complexity of the site and are aligned with our long-term vision for the area. We saw great potential in Sydenham Yard early on, so getting to this stage is really rewarding. It’s definitely a special project and one that will give back to its community and the city for years to come.”
ChristchurchNZ will continue to be involved in the development through plans to work with Fletcher Living on a Placemaking Strategy that seeks to connect new residents to the surrounding community.
Healy says the multi-use approach for the Milton Street site will generate greater, long-term benefit than a single-use development would. Set to bring 80 new homes and 120 workers closer to the city, the area is also connected to parks, retail and transport, and is just a short walk into the central city.
“We hope the result will be a sustainable, vibrant neighbourhood with a strong sense of community. Our ultimate vision is to create a place where people love to live, work and play,” says Healy.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger says this initiative is great for the city.
“It’s welcome news that there will be more affordable housing options available to meet the needs of our community. The development is ideally located near bus routes and it’s also within walking distance of the city,” says the Mayor. “This is exactly what Christchurch is crying out for.”
Up until 2022, Sydenham Yard was occupied by Citycare’s works yard and contained Council-owned community housing, as well as local water and electricity infrastructure. After decades of industrial use, the site has come with many challenges, including soil contamination, the geotechnical state of the land and zoning matters.
