Abstract:
This thesis explores the extent to which urban sustainability principles have been incorporated into the rebuilding of Christchurch, New Zealand. The global trend of rapid urbanisation has resulted in the sustainability of urban environments becoming increasingly important, due to the perceived impacts cities have on the surrounding eco-systems. This research uses a qualitative approach to investigate urban sustainability in the urban redesign plans for Christchurch central, which in February 2011, suffered from an earthquake resulting in severe and widespread damage. The methods used include semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and policy and discourse analysis to determine how urban sustainability concepts were incorporated into the redesign of central Christchurch and the difficulties in achieving sustainability. Analysis of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, which is the main planning document guiding the rebuild of Christchurch, reveals that much of the emphasis is on incorporating design elements to enhance the form and function of the city rather than on sustainability as an overarching ideal. The majority of the CBD requires redevelopment, which provides a good opportunity to implement projects to ensure the long-term environmental, social and cultural viability of the city. The extent to which sustainability principles are articulated in the plan varies, due to the priority given to the different aspects of urban sustainability and the added complication of undertaking urban planning and redevelopment in a disaster zone. The research shows that despite the opportunity of a blank canvas, urban sustainability in a city rebuilding after an earthquake is difficult to achieve due to a wide range of political issues that arise during the planning process and the focus on short-term rather than long-term recovery. Keywords: urban sustainability, urban planning, Christchurch, Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, disaster reconstruction, urban neoliberalism
