Christchurch City Council last week approved a request to rezone 4.7975ha of land from residential to commercial on the south-west corner of Marshland Rd and QEII Drive north of the existing Homebase centre.
An independent hearings panel last year considered the application from Reefville Properties Ltd to extend the commercial zone to the north.
The rezoning was allowed with certain restrictions in the District Plan to limit the impact of the development.
The effect of the centre’s growth on road network safety, the nearby The Palms shopping centre and the amenity of neighbouring residential areas were all taken into account.
Restrictions on the expansion include limiting the type of retail activities permitted at the extended centre until October 2031. Clothing, footwear or department stores and supermarkets will be allowed.
The development also needs to provide safe, convenient pedestrian and cycling connections.
The scale of the expansion was also taken into account. Within the northern Homebase centre, the total amount of floor space for all activities cannot exceed 20,000m2 gross lettable floor area. Retail activities must be staged and should not exceed 5000 m2 GLFA prior to October 2026 or 10,000 m2 GLFA prior to October 2031.
The decision can still be appealed through the Environment Court.
