Commercial building rise

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 4

Commercial building rise

Commercial building construction in Christchurch has reached new heights in spite of the continued decline, although at a slower pace, of residential and industrial development. Suburban commercial projects have shown “a spectacular increase,” according to a City Council townplanning report. City-centre growth in new floor space has also risen 35 per cent above the average for the previous six years. In the suburbs, building permits were issued last year for 16,800 sq m of floor space, compared with 4160 sq m in 1977 and a four-year average of 7262 sq m. Extensions to shopping centres at Merivale and Papanui were responsible for much of the growth, and there were also rises in New Brighton, Richmond, and Shirley. In the city centre, more [than 33,000 sq m of new [commercial building has been

started. Most of this will be used for offices, but 8000 sq m will be for retail use. The six-year average is 1880 sq m.

About 141 one-family homes were started in the suburbs last year, compared to 146 the year before. But two-unit flat construction continued to decline, dropping from 265 in 1977-78 to 195 last year. The six-year average is more than 400 flats.

In central-city residential areas, only 74 new apartment units and three houses were started last year, compared with 189 units and five houses in 1977. The sixyear average is more than 540 new units.

More than 25,000 sqm of; new industrial building was started last year, but new construction in suburban industrial zones was down from 14,530 sq m to 11,430 sq m, and there was a centralcity decliiie from 2s,3oosqm to 14,270 sq m. v |