District Plan, Have your say, Planning for the future  |  Yesterday

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Christchurch City Council is inviting residents and businesses to have their say on options for managing noise in the central city.

The Council is seeking early public feedback on its proposal to change the district’s planning rulebook to better manage noise in the central city, particularly when it comes to live music, entertainment activities, and areas where housing and business mix. Feedback is open until 27 July 2025.

Head of Planning and Consents Mark Stevenson says the Council wants to provide a framework that supports a thriving night-time economy in the central city while maintaining the right level of comfort for residents.

“The proposed changes seek to better provide for new music and hospitality venues to set up in appropriate locations – and to allow them to attract and keep patrons – while also ensuring that the costs associated with managing noise are not a barrier.  

“We also want to make sure that, for areas of the central city where more noise-sensitive activities are expected, like new housing, these areas don’t receive too much noise, and where sound insulation is needed, the costs or design requirements are reasonable and workable.”

The key change the Council is considering is allowing louder night-time noise in some areas of the central city – generally, the city centre surrounding Cathedral Square, areas surrounding One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha, and commercial areas south of Lichfield Street. 
This would mean increasing the noise limits in these areas so they better match the sound insulation rules already in place for noise-sensitive activities like housing, visitor accommodation, education activities, and healthcare facilities.  

It is also considering whether these higher noise limits should only apply to entertainment activities, which need to operate with higher noise levels due to the nature of their business, or whether the same noise limits should apply to any activity.  

Mr Stevenson says the Council is also looking into whether the proposed boundaries for areas with higher noise limits should be adjusted to include or exclude areas that are more, or less, sensitive to noise.

“Our current District Plan was created after the earthquakes, when the city looked a lot different to what it does today. It’s grown and evolved since then, so we need to make sure that noise-related rules are fit-for-purpose when it comes to supporting a vibrant night-time economy, keeping up the appeal of different areas within the central city, and protecting activities that are sensitive to noise,” he says.

In 2023, the Council heard from more than 3,000 survey respondents about their views on central-city noise.  

Two thirds were residents living in the broader Christchurch area, one third were central-city residents, and three per cent were representatives of 92 central-city businesses.  

Overall, respondents were supportive of Christchurch’s night-time economy, expressing a clear expectation that any changes to the District Plan should support it.

“The feedback from this earlier survey has helped to inform the changes we’re now considering to the District Plan, and we welcome early feedback from residents and businesses on these options before we notify the plan change for submissions later this year,” adds Mr Stevenson.

Learn more and give feedback on the Draft Central-City Noise Plan Change.