Measures of Success

The inclusion of flood mitigation projects in the LTP.

Progress to date/actions taken

• The Board in respect of its submission on the Council’s Annual Plan 2023/24, was expressively responsive to the efforts that had been applied in that process to keep the rates increase to a minimum without compromising on the levels of service. Recognising the cost-of-living crisis, against the background of the staff reporting to Council in September 2022 and April 2023 around the city-wide approach being taken to the prioritisation of flood mitigation projects, the Board supported existing programmes of work so as to avoid a rates impact, and so supported the Council in its programmed flood mitigation projects at that time.
• In its submission on the Draft Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan, the Board advocated that the Plan should be cognisant of the risk of flooding in the Board area that intensification may further exacerbate, noting community concerns, particularly around St Albans/Edgeware, Shirley, and the Cranford Basin development area. In this context, the Board strongly recommended that additional flood mitigation is considered in new developments to ensure existing networks are not overwhelmed and remain effective in significant rain events.
• The Board’s presentation to the Council hearings on its draft LTP 2024-34 highlighted: The proposal to establish a programme to reduce regular surface flooding is important to identifying which options for flood mitigation represent the best value for money. These should be considered for the streets near MacFarlane Park, St Albans Park, Edgeware Village, and others particularly affected in the 2022 rain events.

Measures of success

Residents will be well informed and understand the flooding response in their area, and where they can find information about what may be planned or is outside the scope of work.

Progress to date / actions taken

• The Board, in its submission on the Council’s Annual Plan 2023/24 advocated that priority be given within existing programmes to advancing projects reflecting the Board’s priorities where possible, including specifically this project.
• Board staff have met with Civil Defence staff in respect of understanding and relating appropriately to current resources, examples of community-led resilience plans, combined council unit adverse weather resource planning and ensuring clarity of information channels during events.
• Board staff in consultation with Civil Defence staff have developed a Severe Weather Readiness Resource for the Board area, attached to the October 2023 Area Report, which is available on the Board’s webpage for residents with information relevant to engaging with community groups interested in developing emergency response plans, and encouraging residents to connect with those groups, while informing them where to access best information about flooding and severe weather events.

Measures of success

The creation of a resource to assist the community in responding to flooding and measure the number of downloads.

Progress to date / actions taken

• The Board made connection with the local Community Resilience Coordinator at its meeting in February 2023 to understand their role, and the background with Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) helping communities to establish resilience and respond appropriately in emergencies, including in flood events.
• Included in the Severe Weather Readiness Resource developed for the Board area is question and answer information on what to do in flood events, Civil Defence information on getting ready for events, and links to reliable sources of information to point residents toward current updates relating to particular events.
• Resilience Plans to be developed in partnership with key community groups for the wards are being considered to be funded through the Board’s Better Off Fund.
• The Board’s presentation to the Council hearings on its draft LTP 2024-34 highlighted: With climate change severe weather is expected to become more frequent. It is essential we prepare and defend our community and adapt to the changing climate by prioritising our capacity to respond to emergency events and build up our resilience in the face of the challenges ahead.

Measures of success

The number of temporary pumps deployed during a rain event and frequency.

Progress to date / actions taken

• The Board has referred relevant actions to staff through its meetings requesting a briefing regarding areas of surface flooding in significant rain events noted by the Board: Cambridge Terrace, Emmett Street, Francis Avenue, Edgeware Village and Harris Crescent, and particularly an update on progress with information for the Board and residents relevant to the flooding mitigations in the vicinity of Francis Avenue and on the process for pump activation.
• The Board’s LTP 2024-34 submission noted that: While the Board supports finding spending efficiencies, it would not see any creation of risks of property flooding through this, or of being under-prepared for emergency responses to severe weather, as a more broadly efficient. The Board highlights the distress such events cause the community, and the vital importance of mitigating this distress and risk by maintaining what residents expect in terms of investing in flood response, such as the ability to deploy temporary pumps, road closures, civil defence emergency management personnel/resources, and other modes of preparedness developed through community resilience initiatives.
• The Board reiterated its advocacy for flood mitigation options in its submission on the Ōtākaro Avon Stormwater Management Plan.
• The Council’s Long Term Plan 2024-34 added a Surface Flooding Reduction Programme to fund flooding mitigation projects city-wide, which surfacing flooding in significant rain events in Francis Avenue, Edgeware Village, Emmett Street, and Harris Crescent, can be assessed for.
• The Council’s letter of response to the Board after the adoption of its LTP noted its commitment to $183.243 million for the surface flooding reduction programme.
• At an information session with Three Waters in October 2024, the Board sought clarity regarding the work of the operations teams in stormwater and maintenance around effective responses to surface flooding not involving infrastructure, such as deploying temporary pumps, road closures, and localised communications in events. The Board received follow up clarifications and reassurances, including that: During significant wet weather and flooding events staff from our Transport, Three Waters, and Civil Defence and Emergency Management teams are available round the clock to respond to issues. They're also out and about keeping an eye on our roads and infrastructure…. It is also important to note that our road network is part of our stormwater network and plays an important role during wet weather events. In most parts of the city our roads have been designed as secondary flow paths for stormwater. This provides another layer of protection for houses across our district. In heavy rain we expect to see some of our roads flood with water. This is better than houses or property flooding.

Progress to date / actions taken

• Awaiting Council to consider specific flood mitigation projects in the Board area. In September 2022 in relation to Flood Management Options for Edgeware Road at Edgeware Village, the Council resolved to:
  • Continue with and extend the engagement with the local community, including business owners, over flooding matters including providing advice to assist property owners in taking their own measures to reduce the impacts of flooding on their properties;
  • Rely on the District Plan floor level controls to provide the most certain means to reduce flood risk to buildings in Edgeware Village over time;
  • Update the costs of the engineered option in advance of the next Long Term Plan (LTP), giving consideration to other options, levels of service, Council policy and the occurrence of similar flooding in other parts of the city as part of consideration of potential LTP candidates;
  • Consider construction of a full height kerb as part of the ongoing Edgeware Village Master Plan work;
  • Request staff to prepare a report on surface flooding across urban Christchurch and recommend potential stormwater projects for consideration in the Annual Plan.
• Second resolution above confirmed as being given effect through the established Council planning processes which will ensure that the floor level controls will continue to be maintained through the District Plan provisions.
• The Board’s LTP 2024-34 submission advocated that: The Board specifically requests that it be investigated whether flood mitigation levels of service are inappropriately excluding non-residential properties, having witnessed the impact on Edgeware Village and the community who use it from the 2022 significant rain events. Currently Council staff are limited in their response options when flood waters inundate or threaten commercial premises because there are no levels of service for such an event. This urgently requires addressing by council, in deciding the levels of service for commercial properties.
• At an information session with Three Waters in October 2024, the Board sought clarity regarding what a level of service as may be submitted on could look like in relation to addressing surface flooding affecting commercial properties that could be aimed at a level that may be usefully investigated and debated. The Board received follow up clarification that: Establishing a level of service (LoS) to mitigate surface flooding of commercial properties could require substantial funding from the Council. Any recommendation on an appropriate level of service must be backed by a comprehensive analysis of the financial implications. This would require an in-depth assessment to assess the impact of such a LoS would have. It would be recommended that such a study looks at various LoS options, including the current LoS that applies to residential areas. There is currently no funding to conduct such a study.

Progress to date / actions taken

• In its submission on Plan Change 14, the Board signalled that it will be advocating through the Long Term Plan and other such avenues for the retention of greenspace as parks, pocket parks, or gathering spaces for community use, and to advocate that planning changes support that flood mitigation is considered in new developments to ensure existing networks are not overwhelmed and can remain effective in significant rain events.
• The Board in its submission on the Draft Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan advocated that planning be holistic and not overlook opportunities for stormwater management, including investigation of the use of permeable surfaces/rain gardens where applicable.
• The Board met with the City Streets Maintenance Manager early in 2023 to gain a wider understanding road and footpath surfacing.
• The Board’s LTP 2024-34 submission noted this intent to advocate that the Council continues to investigate the use of permeable surfaces/rain gardens where applicable.

Progress to date / actions taken

• Regarding Council resolution that to consider construction of a full height kerb as part of the ongoing Edgeware Village Master Plan work, this was recorded by Three Waters as actioned through notification given to the Transport Unit in December 2022, of the need to consider full height kerb incorporation in the Master Plan work.
• Regarding Council resolution to continue with and extend the engagement with the local community, including business owners, over flooding matters including providing advice to assist property owners in taking their own measures to reduce the impacts of flooding on their properties, this has been actioned including community meetings on 14 and 15 November 2022.
• There was provision in the Annual Plan for streetscape in Edgeware Village Masterplan (CPMS #26623, currently $565k in FY26/27, $1.589M in FY27/28). Master Plan funding is subject to the Council’s review of its capital programme as part of the draft LTP 2024-34 consideration process, and the Council has defunded the Master Plan work as a result of the Long Term Plan process.

Measures of success

The introduction of an alert system before any significant rain events.

Progress to date / actions taken

• Advice was taken on this initiative that raised issues whereby staff were not recommending a unique alert system, instead pointing towards reinforcing and supporting centralised messaging through developed channels, supported by community resilience and developments networks, and most importantly primary reference to Civil Defence Emergency Management messaging in emergencies, and Council communications around impending severe weather events.
• The Severe Weather Readiness Resource for the Board area includes links to what current relevant notification sites exist, including an interactive map for general information on potential flood hotspots, a link to the ECan site for current flood warnings, and a link to the Flood Hub for current river flood alerts and live river flooding data.

Measures of success

The goals of the Ōtautahi Christchurch Climate Resilience Strategy have been considered.

Progress to date / actions taken

• In its submission on the Council’s Annual Plan 2023/24, the Board showed its commitment to supporting the ongoing development and implementation of the Ōtautahi Christchurch Climate Resilience Strategy's climate goals and supporting proposed positive changes.
• The Board’s LTP 2024-34 submission noted that: Particularly in relation to the Board’s prioritisation of a connected transport network, and in regard to addressing flooding and intensification, the Board signalled in its Board Plan that it will consider the goals of the Ōtautahi Christchurch Climate Resilience Strategy in all decision making, and in this context it seeks that the Council consider these also in this matter.
• The Council’s letter of response to the Board after the adoption of its LTP noted its commitment to bringing forward $1.8 million in operational funding for climate adaptation work, to accelerate the Coastal Adaptation Planning Programme and boost community preparedness.