Apartment buildings up to 10 storeys high will be allowed in Hornby, Riccarton and Papanui, if the Christchurch City Council has its way.

The council is working through changes to the district plan to allow for more housing intensification across the city, following a Government directive. It went out to public consultation earlier this year on a plan to allow six-storey (22m) buildings within 600m of main shopping areas in Hornby, Papanui, and Riccarton - a move that was opposed by residents’ associations.

But last week staff informed councillors, in a memo, that they would instead be recommending 10-storey buildings, 32m high, within the three main shopping areas. It was also recommending 22m-high buildings, 800m from the edge of those main shopping areas.

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*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said 32m high buildings were proposed within 800m of the main shopping areas in Hornby, Papanui and Riccarton. Buildings of that height are allowed within those main shopping areas and 22m is proposed 800m out from the edge of those shopping areas. (Amended 5.24pm, August 30, 2023)