On 6 April 2023, Property Council submitted to Christchurch City Council on their Draft Annual Plan 2023/2024.
Why it matters to our members
Property Council advocates for the creation and retention of a well-designed, functional and sustainable built environment. The Draft Annual Plan 2023/2024 outlines the direction of Christchurch City Council for the next twelve months and will influence outcomes across Christchurch.
Our view
Property Council supported the overall direction of this year’s annual plan, with the exception of expanding the Vacant Sites rating differential, increasing the business differential, and lowering the Uniform Annual General Charge to $50. We opposed these three proposals based on the negative accumulative effects they will have for Christchurch businesses and our members.
At a high level, we recommended that Christchurch City Council:
- Does not increase the business rating differential from 1.697 to 2.22 and instead commissions an independent report to analyse the proposed rating differential and its economic impact;
- Investigate alternative funding methods to share the rating burden more equitably;
- Discontinue the vacant site differential and not extend this to the commercially zoned areas of New Brighton, Lyttleton, Sydenham and Linwood Village; and
- Adopt Option A in relation to the Uniform Annual General Charge (“UAGC”) (increasing this to $153 from $145).