Our region will see the rollout of key regeneration projects for Christchurch’s city centre and the first stage of Dunedin’s new public hospital build. These projects reflect the vision, commitment and leadership of our members and the strength of our communities.
The often talked about opportunities that would arise, particularly in tourism, hospitality and retail are now fast becoming a reality, and these will continue to drive the South Island’s economy. In Christchurch, the Global Settlement was an important milestone and we’ll continue to work towards the city’s return to local leadership by engaging and assisting local and central government, and key regeneration agencies. The vision of the Blueprint and Central City Recovery Plan is coming to life in central Christchurch. It reflects the vision, commitment and leadership of property, New Zealand’s largest industry. We have a reshaped city; now it is time to make it thrive.
Our members will benefit from our advocacy across multiple topics as we go into bat on their behalf to open the doors for further development and supporting infrastructure. Key areas include:
These issues will have a huge impact on the future of the property sector and it’s our job to ensure that the collective voice of our members is heard by policy makers.
Rider Levett Bucknall
South Island Regional Chair
In the regions, our regular projects include Long-term Plans, Annual Plans, District and Spatial Plans, rates differentials and development contributions. In addition to this, each Regional Committee also choose one priority to focus on for the year, with the South Island’s being:
Book your tickets! Celebrating the people behind the projects Get ready for an unforgettable night of connection, celebration, and recognition at the 2025 South Island Property People Awards! Last
A night of laughter, rivalry, and quick-fire questions awaits Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned Ōtepoti Dunedin’s ultimate quiz champs? It’s time to gather your crew,
The South Island Regional Committee assists the Property Council team to formulate our local advocacy strategy and plan member events and initiatives in the region.
The current Committee is in effect from 1 November 2024.
The Local Government Briefing Paper has been produced in advance of the 2025 Local Government Elections to provide candidates – many of whom are unfamiliar with the property industry – with a simple guide to the challenges faced, solutions available and potential impact for their city or region.
The document outlines five key workstreams:
Singing off the same song sheet nationwide also helps ensure consistency across our national and regional advocacy workstreams. It is a working document that will evolve over time as policies are announced and issues arise, with the current version available for download by members upon logging in here. 👉
The South Island Property People Awards celebrate and recognise the people behind the projects in the South Island region.
On 25 July 2025, Property Council submitted to the Ministry for the Environment on National Direction Package 3: Freshwater. Property Council’s comments primarily address the definitions related to wetlands. Our view Property Council welcomes MfE’s recognition of the uncertainty caused by the current wetland definition. It is critical that any revised definition is clear, consistent, and enduring to provide certainty for the development sector. Read the full submission.
On 25 July 2025, Property Council submitted to the Ministry for the Environment on National Direction Package 1: Infrastructure and Development and Package 2: Primary Sector. Property Council made specific comments on the National Policy Statement for Infrastructure (NPS-I), National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards (NPS-NH) and National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL). While we support the introduction of both the NPS-I and NPS-NH as two critical parts of the planning system that currently lack national-level guidance, we believe significant changes are needed to ensure they are effective, balanced, and practical. In relation to the NPS-HPL, we support the removal of LUC 3 land from NPS-HPL restrictions and acknowledge the Ministry for the Environment’s recognition of the issues
On 14 July 2025, Property Council submitted on Christchurch City Council’s proposed development contributions rebate schemes. Why this matters to our members Property Council supports development contribution rebate schemes. Development rebates can provide incentives to stimulate economic development. Our view We recommend that Christchurch City Council revise the proposed schemes to encourage greater uptake from the development community. In particular, we recommend that Christchurch City Council: Does not limit funding for Scheme 1 Extend the expiry date to a five-year period for Scheme 1 Amend Scheme 2 to allow for three or more storey residential buildings to be eligible; Does not limit funding for Scheme 2; Extend the expiry date to a five-year period for Scheme 2; and Engage in
Property Council has several dynamic and engaged member taskforces and committees, who provide insight and support our team with a range of initiatives. These groups are ever-changing and are open to all members.
We also have numerous opportunities for sponsors to partner with us to produce and support local events.
Please contact your Regional Manager for further information:
