Murray Cleverley, Cera General Manager Greater Christchurch Investment Strategy
The Canterbury earthquakes have provided an unprecedented opportunity to remake an international city.
Christchurch is a world-first combination of blue skies development in an established, redeveloped region; the chance to combine rich natural and cultural heritage, a deep economic base and best-practice 21st century urban design.
The people, industry and government of New Zealand are committed to making this happen. The unique nature of the earthquakes and the response has created an investment environment with a compelling range of ways to participate.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act provides special powers to fast-track the recovery. An enabling framework of specific planning provisions has been set up, unique to Christchurch. That includes a five-day approval process for central city resource consent applications, as well as the Economic Recovery Programme - a strategic work programme of 20 high priority projects.
This programme aims to revitalise greater Christchurch as the heart of prosperous region for business, work and education.
Created collaboratively across organisations and agencies, the programme is about increasing investment in new activities.
Beyond Christchurch, the Waimakariri and Selwyn districts of Canterbury are home to vibrant towns and breathtaking rural working environments. The many competitive advantages to investing in these areas include skilled labour forces and cheaper electricity and other infrastructural services.
In Waimakariri, 440 hectares of land are zoned for business activity with another 17 hectares in the pipeline. More than 90 hectares of current business land is available now - in town centres and surrounding areas suitable for larger-scale activities.
The Selwyn District hosts IZONE, the largest business park in New Zealand. Selwyn also had the strongest economy in NZ according to the 2012 BERL rankings.
It is this regional strength, along with all that Christchurch has to offer, that makes the Canterbury economy the fastest growing in New Zealand.
Canterbury's skills base is constantly replenished by world-class tertiary institutes. Innovation drives new opportunities.
Manufacturing and services sit alongside agriculture and horticulture. Transport links take goods to market across New Zealand and the world, and integrated technology platforms connect talent with information.
With historic roots in agriculture, the business base has broadened to embrace information and communications technology, food innovation, nutraceuticals, all types of agribusiness, tourism, light engineering, and niche-market manufacturing with the support of high-quality education and research facilities.
Sectors are well connected via technology platforms and highly adaptable.
The region is well-connected for goods and services. The award-winning Christchurch International Airport runs a 24-hour international operation and is just 15 minutes' drive from the central city. The deep-harbour inland port at Lyttelton offers marine, container and port services. Interconnected road, rail and coastal sea links fan out from the port, perfect for imports and exports. There is ease of movement throughout the South Island for goods, through bulk freight rail and the State Highway network.
These many and varied highlights of Canterbury's economic landscape means there are opportunities for investment across all areas, but most excitingly in the unprecedented CBD redevelopment.
For developers, there is land to acquire or lease, and for investors the ability to fund new development outright or in partnerships.
And for retailers there is excellent choice of location, with the ability to target their own preferred market. The development of the CBD is such that the compact core gives close contact with office workers, the transport hub, inner city residences and sports facilities.
The first port of call is Cera's Investment Facilitation Team.
Cera works collaboratively with all relevant central and local government agencies, as well as economic agencies and the private sector.
The aim of the Investment Facilitation Team is to provide information on investment opportunities, identifying who potential investors should be connected with, making introductions and connections, removing roadblocks, providing one point of contact across multiple agencies and relationship management.
Early engagement will include connecting with existing Canterbury businesses or well-informed agents or presence on the ground, understanding normal business conventions apply, attention to detail of procurement processes, grouping and developing before opportunities are formally in the market and looking at what will work for the private sector.
It is the silver lining of a devastating and tragic natural disaster, but Christchurch is now a land of opportunities. As a great place to live, work and play, the region offers many ways to prosper. Investment is welcome, businesses thrive, and there is a vibrant workforce holding advanced skills across diverse sectors.
Young and committed, with a highly collaborative culture, Christchurch's emerging leaders want to help build the future.
Key Contacts
Investing in Canterbury
• Christchurch Central Development Unit - the specialist unit within Cera leading the rebuild of the central city. info@ccdu.govt.nz or invest@ccdu.govt.nz, ccdu.govt.nz.
• Christchurch City Council - the city's civic authority. info@ccc.govt.nz, ccc.govt.nz.
• Canterbury Development Corporation - CDC oversees the long term economic development strategy for Christchurch, working with industries, government agencies and private sector experts for implementation. cdc@cdc.org.nz, cdc.org.nz.
• Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce - CECC works nationally to ensure a strong, networked business environment , providing business advice, support and services. info@cecc.org.nz, cecc.org.nz.