Karolina and Peter Haswell and daughter, Tara (8), were sworn in this week as New Zealand citizens at a ceremony in the Municipal Chambers.
"Our old hometown, Colchester, in Essex, is probably about the size of Christchurch, but it was much more difficult getting around. Even a trip out to the shops would take an hour in the car," said Mr Haswell.
"We never realised how much of a change that would make to our life. I've just started mountain-biking, but I would have never dreamt of doing so in the UK."
Mr Haswell said the family were "always looking to live in the South Island".
"It's a lot more convenient here. Everything's within a short distance. When we were travelling around the country, we only spent 24 hours in Dunedin and we immediately chose this as a place to live."
Mr Haswell works as a tool-maker at Tecpak Industries, in Kaikorai Valley, while Mrs Haswell, a former caregiver, is due to graduate with her bachelor of nursing degree at the end of the year.
A couple of years ago, the BBC approached the Haswell family to participate in a documentary on people emigrating from Britain, but they politely declined, in case it "didn't quite work out".
But now the family said they did not regret their decision one bit. "It's just so comfortable living here," said Mr Haswell.
"The wages might be higher job-for-job back in the UK, but the cost of living overall is so much cheaper.
"It's going to be very hard for us to travel home to see our family, as we're so well settled."
The new citizens are. Roy Adams (Israeli), Alma Gordoncillo Batchelor (Filipino), Memia Mamon Bathgate (Filipino), Karolina Maria Haswell (British), Tara Oletta Geena Haswell (British), Peter Frank Haswell (British), Nur Jahan (Bangladeshi), Colette Lorna Martin (South African), Holly Frances Martin (South African), Georgina Clara Martin (South African), Kay Alexandra Martin (South African), Emma Jane Murgatroyd (British), Graham Wilkinson (British), David John Woods (British), Haosong Zhao (Chinese).
