Resource Consents Update – January 2025

In this update:

• Clarifying the Chapter 14B Development Pathway
• Wind assessments
• New vertical datum

Plan Change 14 – Chapter 14B Development Pathway 

Further to the information in our 19 December 2024 newsletter about the new residential pathways introduced by Plan Change 14's decisions, we’d like to clarify which rules apply when Pathway 14B (the ‘previous rules’ option) is selected for sites within the Policy 3 areas.  

The Chapter 14B Pathway is only available for the rules in Chapter 14 Residential. Any new/amended rules in the other city-wide chapters apply regardless of the development pathway chosen. This includes, for example, the amended Chapter 7 Transport access design and cycle parking rules. 

Wind assessments

The wind-flow effects of tall buildings on ground-level public spaces should be considered early in the design process. 

Last year’s Plan Change 14 decisions on commercial zones introduced a requirement for wind modelling for buildings above 28m in the City Centre Zone. Wind assessments may also be needed for buildings above 25m in the Central City Mixed Use zones. 

Our new Wind Assessments webpage explains the different types of wind assessments, when they’re required, and who can prepare them.  

New Vertical Datum NZVD2016

The reference point used by the Council for measuring heights and depths has changed. The District Plan has been updated (on 27 January) to reflect this. 

We've used a local vertical datum height standard, called the Christchurch Drainage Datum (CDD), since 1876. We’ve now adopted the New Zealand Vertical Datum (NZVD2016) introduced in 2016 by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). It was brought in to replace the various local height datums used throughout the country, and enables the consistent collection and exchange of heights across New Zealand. 

NZVD2016 uses a different starting point to CDD, which means the values assigned to heights and depths will change. The vertical datum changeover will alter the numerical value of the Building Code and District Plan Finished Floor Levels but will not change the actual height you build above ground to provide protection from flooding.

Height data for current and future projects 

If you supply information to us containing geographical height data: 

• There'll be a transitional period, where we continue to accept data using the old datum.
• New projects should be submitted using NZVD2016.
• Current projects that started before NZVD2016 was adopted can either continue to use CDD for consistency or convert to NZVD2016.
• When providing information to us, please clearly identify which datum you've used. 

CDD to NZVD2016 conversion 

To convert between datums, refer to our website and the additional guidance below, or contact your surveyor (recommended). 

When converting, two offset values are needed: 

1. The CDD to Lyttelton 1937 datum offset, which has a standard value of 9.043 
2. A Lyttelton 1937 datum to NZVD2016 offset, which can be found using the LINZ converter.

Formula: NZVD2016 = CDD – 9.043 – Lyt37 offset

Tips for using the LINZ converter

• Input height system = ‘Lyttelton 1937 (from NZVD2016)’ 
• Output height system = ‘New Zealand Vertical Datum 2016’ 
• Input co-ordinate system = ‘New Zealand Transverse Mercator Projection’ 
• Enter coordinates 
• The conversion result will show a Lyttelton Vertical Datum offset value of approximately 0.3 to 0.4.

Keep in touch

If you have any questions about your resource consent applications, please email us at CCCResourceconsentapplications@ccc.govt.nz

For general enquiries, you can email dutyplanner@ccc.govt.nz or call 941 8999.