Northwood Residential Area - Christchurch
Fast facts
Location: Main North Road, Christchurch
Construction: 1999-2004
Developer: RD Hughes Developments Ltd
Urban design/landscape concepts: Harrison Grierson Consultants Ltd
Planning/engineering/surveying: Davis Ogilvie and Partners Ltd
Landscape architecture: John Marsh Landscape Architect
Styx Mill master plan and rezoning: Baxter Brown Ltd and Davie Lovell-Smith Ltd
Case study researchers: Ian Craig and Abu Hoque, Harrison Grierson Consultants Ltd
Key statistics
Northwood area: 77 ha
Approximate dwellings numbers: 630 houses (285-1500 m2 lots); 64 unit retirement village; 40 terraced houses
Gross residential density: one dwelling per 1050 m2 (9.5 dwellings per ha)
Net residential density: one dwelling per 625 m2 (16 dwellings per ha)
Photo:
Location of Styx Block.
Photo:
Medium-density terraced housing.
Introduction
The Northwood Residential Area was developed over five years based on a master plan with strongly articulated new urbanism design principles. It has proved a commercial success. This case study considers the extent to which this success is due to adherence to (and departure from) the initial master plan principles. The project's history illustrates how some urban design 'rules' were appropriately 'bent' to meet changing market demand and conflicting agency objectives.
The Proposed Christchurch City Plan 1995 attracted many submissions requesting the rezoning of rural blocks, including the Styx Block, a 97 ha "Applefields" orchard south of Belfast, Christchurch. The site is a flat river terrace, abutted on the south by Styx Mill Reserve, a major wetland reserve, and fronts onto two state highways.
At hearings the evidence presented in support of rezoning included the new urbanist Styx Mill master plan, which succeeded in the area being rezoned to various 'living' zones and an area of 'Business 1'. The boundaries were drawn directly from the master plan.
Design process
The five-year design process for Northwood included extensive pre-application discussions between the land developer, consultants, and local authority staff. There was no consultation with the public.
RD Hughes Developments Ltd acquired the rezoned land in 1999. The District Plan's zoning pattern and associated development plan did not match their aspirations, so they engaged Harrison Grierson to 'reorganise' the main elements of the Styx Mill master plan, while still meeting its key design intentions. They were also asked to identify and design a 'big impact' first stage with maximum amenities, for construction in 1999-2000.
The north-eastern quadrant of the block was selected for Stage 1, with a new signal-controlled access from Main North Road. One block in, a roundabout with a fountain was created to provide a sense of entry. This road leads directly on to Northwood Boulevard, which includes grassed swales and has a consistent edge treatment.
The original positions for the lake and residential node were moved closer to Northwood Boulevard, and the District Park was also relocated to a Boulevard location at the edge of the first stage area.
City traffic engineers required that the grid pattern be modified to reduce the number of four-way intersections. To provide variety for the five house builders operating at Northwood, and to improve yield, some cul-de-sacs and blocks with rear lots were introduced. Cul-de-sacs were typically linked by short pedestrian walkways to nearby roads.
Stage 1 included the first stages of a medium-density terraced housing development next to the central lake.
In the light of the popularity of this component, during Stage 2 in 2001 the developers elected to re-subdivide a block initially sized for conventional lots into a rear-lot-based layout for medium-density sites (typically 300-350 m2). These were all constructed by one house builder, and successfully introduced a more affordable product into the housing mix.
By 2002 a bulk retail development had been completed outside the main entrance to Northwood. In due course, a complementary small supermarket was developed on the lot at the Main North Road entrance (identified in the initial master plan as a possible alternative business site), with a pre-school opposite. However, to date there has been no progress on the development of a business/retail site within Stage 1 that was proposed adjacent to the lake.
In April 2002 the master plan was revised to incorporate a retirement village on land next to the Main North Road which had proved difficult to sell as rear lots. A new 'lakeside precinct' was also proposed for a later stage. Council gave consent to a redistribution of the medium-density development to make the retirement village possible.
Stage 3 was developed in 2002 and included the retirement village.
Stage 4, developed during 2002 - 2003, highlighted an issue along the Styx Mill Reserve edge. The Styx Mill master plan had envisaged a single-loaded road along this edge, which was supported by some Council staff but opposed by others who wished to establish a predator fence and have the development back onto the Reserve (as did the developer, initially). The road along the edge won out, and the developer later acknowledged this as worth incorporating and included it in Stage 5.
In 2003 the 'lakeside precinct' design was developed to the stage required for consents. However, the maintenance conditions were too onerous, and in 2004 Stage 5 was redesigned as larger conventional lots (800-1500 m2).
In 2003 the developer elected to sell the balance of the original Northwood master plan area to Styx Mill Estates Limited, which is now pursuing a country club estate concept with gated cul-de-sac roads and predominantly rear-lot development. A large stormwater detention basin was required in Stage 5 to cater for the block sold, and this introduced a new large open space into Northwood.
The completed layout as at May 2004 is shown in image 3 on page 83.
Urban design issues
The key features and design principles of the Styx Mill master plan and associated evidence were:
- a 'boulevard'-style road linking between the two state highways
- a centrally-located lake
- a 'node' of medium-density housing and residential/retail use around the lake
- a possible additional business location on Main North Road (State Highway 1)
- a 'District Park' recreation reserve
- pockets of medium-density housing opposite regularly shaped neighbourhood reserves
- a highly connected grid road layout, with block depths sized for front lot development, and single loaded roads along reserve edges, including the edge of the Styx Mill Reserve
- a stormwater management system that included swales along the boulevard.
The project is of national interest as one of the first significant greenfield blocks to be designed based on a master plan that demonstrated new urbanist design principles.
Evaluation - urban design principles
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Context |
Northwood is a coherent development of places, spaces, streets and activities conceived to relate well to each other within the development, and also to recognise its place within the city, in particular the adjacent state highway, bulk retail area and the Styx Mill Reserve. It has a degree of diversity and integration of uses appropriate to its outer suburbs location. It has a recognisable medium-density node focused on the lake. This includes two terraced developments and a site for business/retail use, and is adjacent to Northwood Boulevard with the District Park just beyond. A second node is beginning to get established, based around the activities at the Northwood entrance - the pre-school, supermarket and bulk retail development. |
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Character |
As a greenfields development, Northwood did not have to fit in with an existing urban character. It creates its own locally-appropriate and distinctive character through the use of landmarks such as the sculptural roundabout features at either end of Northwood Boulevard and through detailing such as colouring of concrete paths. Hard landscape features such as arches and other structures at key pedestrian routes and at the entrances to reserves are effective in way-finding, to frame views, and to further establish character. It also incorporates the natural environment through swales and stormwater ponds, and responds to its historical identity as an orchard, adjacent to a major wetland, through its soft landscaping and some retention of existing peripheral planting. |
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Choice |
Northwood's housing exhibits a marked diversity of type, site size, and cost and includes terraced housing, retirement villas, low-cost detached medium-density housing, suburban detached housing on 550-650 m2 lots, and larger lots (800-1500 m2) for higher priced housing. There is good access to open spaces for all. The initial retail node is likely to have competition from a second retail node based around the activities at the Northwood entrance, i.e. the preschool, supermarket and bulk retail development. This has not yet been developed. |
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Connections |
Vehicle connections into Northwood are not extensive, owing to its long boundaries with the Styx Mill Reserve, unzoned rural land, and the two state highways, where Transit New Zealand opposed more than one access to each. Pedestrians have more options, and can use the long road frontage to the Styx Mill Reserve, the Kaputone Reserve to the north, and a stormwater reserve at the southeast corner. Within Northwood, the original grid road concept was modified to meet traffic engineering requirements and market (builder) desire for cul-de-sacs. Even so, in comparison with most suburban developments, the roads are well connected, and there are few examples of long cul-de-sacs. Pedestrian and cyclist connections within Northwood are excellent, through reserves, roads and pathways. The latter are typically short and straight, and celebrated with distinctive archway features. |
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Creativity |
Sculptural features have been incorporated into the overall design. |
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Custodianship |
The development exhibits some elements of environmentally responsive design, particularly as a consequence of protecting and enhancing the adjacent wetland reserve. Northwood's stormwater management includes swale-based treatment and a major detention basin. |
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Collaboration |
Wider public consultation was not undertaken as this is essentially a private development, although there were extensive discussions between the land developer, their consultants and the local authority. |
Lessons learnt
The lessons learnt include:
- single ownership or control of a substantial landholding is required for a successful master planned greenfield development
- all urban design principles can rarely be incorporated into one concept. Many are in conflict with current convention, particularly in road design
- large scale developments happen in stages and can rarely be designed in total from the outset. Flexibility in planning documents and master plans is required to adapt to changes in market conditions and ownership over time
- a fully connected grid road system will typically need to be modified to provide layout variety and to meet the concerns of traffic engineers over four-way intersection design
- cul-de-sacs offer a housing choice which is perceived by some sectors of the community to be advantageous
- nodes do not usually develop until there is a residential catchment to support them, and by that time, the nature and location of the node may need to change from that which was initially envisaged.
Value gained
Northwood, as built, deviates in a number of ways from, and generally improves upon, the vision for Northwood proposed in the original rezoning hearings.
The success factors for Northwood have probably been its ability to move with market aspiration and opportunity over time, to provide a diversity of housing and subdivision layout, to use hard and soft landscape features to reinforce its legible identity, and all the while to hold true to the core principles and design features upon which the rezoning of the land was based.
Rising section prices and its completion several years ahead of the original schedule underscores Northwood's commercial success and popularity. The diversity of housing is understood to be one of the factors in its ongoing commercial success.
Comments
Because this site was zoned as a result of a submission to the Proposed City (District) Plan, the Council was not in a position to incorporate appropriate mechanisms in the Plan to ensure that the type of development promised at the hearing would eventuate. Luckily, even though there was a change of developer at the outset, the original objectives have generally been met.
The use of the master plan to define both the zoning and the development plan framework incorporated in the City Plan, made it difficult for both parties to make changes as development progressed. This was overcome through negotiation but in some cases necessitated additional resource consent applications. Before and during the development of the site the developers and their designers met with Council officers to discuss their preliminary proposals to reach agreement before submitting subdivision applications.
That the central retail/business site has not yet developed is not surprising and points to the need to carefully consider the feasibility of such uses at the outset, if they are intended to be the focus of a community node.
The Northwood Area has been broadly successful from the City Council's perspective.
- Janet Reeves, Christchurch City Council
Photo:
Medium-density semi-detached housing.
Photo:
Retirement village.
Photo:
Grassed swales.
Photo:
Completed layout of Styx Block development.
