South Island Region

Welcome to
Te Waipounamu

The South Island is on the cusp of a new era with some of the country’s largest ever projects set to grow and enhance our city centres.

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: 

  • Building system reform 
  • Resource management reform 
  • Infrastructure funding and procurement 
  • Local authority funding (including vigilance in respect of inequitable funding models) 

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.

Tom Chatterton

Rider Levett Bucknall
South Island Regional Chair

Download the Local Government Briefing Paper

South Island
Advocacy Priority

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:

"Investing in the future of our cities and communities – facilitating certainty and unlocking opportunities for growth through stronger stakeholder relationships."

Regional Events

All Events & Courses

South Island
Regional Committee

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.

Local Government
Briefing Paper

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: 

  1. Foster stronger relationships with the property sector 
  2. Improve local government funding and financing 
  3. Fairer investment in infrastructure 
  4. Connect regional planning and transport; and 
  5. Increase housing supply and improve consenting. 

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. 👉

This content is for members only

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Book your seat!
Tickets now available

Friday 7 November 2025
Ōtautahi, Christchurch

The South Island Property People Awards celebrate and recognise the people behind the projects in the South Island region.

In 2024, we brought together a crowd of 250 guests for an unforgettable evening of exceptional networking and celebration.

Don’t miss the networking event of the year – book now!

Book Now

Recent Submissions

Submission

Property Council submission to Christchurch City Council on the Development Contributions rebates schemes

July 15, 2025

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

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Submission

Property Council submission to Christchurch City Council on speed limits surrounding One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha

July 8, 2025

On 8 July 2025, the Property Council submitted on speed limits surrounding One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha. Why this matters to our members Our members invest in Christchurch and wish to see a vibrant and functional city. Our view We recommend that Christchurch City Council retain the existing 50km/h speed limit on the surrounding streets of Te Kaha and retain the current 30km/h speed limit on Lichfield Street. In the current tight fiscal environment, this is a sensible approach, as average operating speeds already range between 21km/h and 41km/h. This allows the Council to achieve its safety objectives without incurring the $14,000 implementation cost of changing speed limits. Read the full submission

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Submission

Property Council submission on the Public Works Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2025.

June 12, 2025

On 12 June 2025, the Property Council submitted on the Public Works Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2025. Why this matters to our members The Bill aims to streamline land acquisition processes for public works related to projects listed in Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, as well as Roads of National Significance. It recognises the importance of delivering essential infrastructure in a timely manner, while also ensuring that property owners whose land or interests are affected are appropriately compensated. Our view We support the overall intent of the Bill and welcome the Bill’s aim to reduce procedural delays and to promote more direct, transparent, and timely engagement between landowners and decision-makers. Read the full submission.

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All Submissions

Contact Us

Help champion the
South Island property industry

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:

Danielle Brayne

South Island Regional Manager

022 629 2820
danielle@propertynz.co.nz