Small container mall for empty Colombo St site in Christchurch

Artist's impression of a small-scale container mall development on the corner of Colombo and Tuam Sts in Christchurch.

A container mall similar to Re:Start has just got the go-ahead for an empty central city site.

The city council has granted resource consent to Sam Hung Hong Ltd to install five shipping containers on the corner of Colombo and Tuam Sts, which will house hospitality and retail tenants.

The site is currently used by Wilson Parking.

The containers would remain on the site for six years, until a future use for the land is determined.

All the containers will face a large courtyard in the middle of the site.

There would also be seating available on the roofs of the containers, which would be connected by a gantry walkway.

The site is across the road from the new Hoyts development, and Bus Interchange.

The development's resource consent application said it would have a similar "look and feel" to Re:Start, which opened in October 2011.

Re:Start received international recognition for the innovative way shipping containers were used to bring people back into the central city.

It closed in April, although some containers have remained until developer Richard Peebles' Farmers Market development gets under way.

As part of the Colombo St development there would be four staff car parks, a disabled car park and a bike stand.

Meanwhile, resource consent has also been granted for a new Ramada Encore hotel to be built at 848 Colombo St.

The five-storey hotel will have 88 rooms, and will be developed under a franchise deal between Wyndham hotel group and landowners Lepdon Holdings.