Residents Raise Concerns Over Clifton Development Project

The construction of a residential property at 1 Mulgans Track, Clifton, has sparked significant contention among nearby residents. Brinkman Peez is leading the project, which includes a garage and storage room at road level, a lift, stairs up the cliffs, and two residential units on site. Despite receiving approval from the Christchurch City Council, local residents have expressed concerns regarding the scale of the development and its potential environmental repercussions.

Residents have voiced their discontent, particularly regarding the visual impact of the project and the possible degradation of the cliffs. Pat McIntosh, secretary of the Redcliffs Residents’ Association, noted that the association has received multiple complaints about these issues. “There has been no consultation with the wider community at any stage,” McIntosh stated. She added that the council staff were unavailable for comment when the association raised these concerns in 2023.

The residents’ association is particularly troubled by the approval of a permanent structure, the garage, to be built on the road reserve in Moncks Bay, adjacent to the property. “We are concerned that neither the residents’ association nor the residents of Moncks Bay were informed of this or consulted before the license was granted,” McIntosh remarked.

In response to the residents’ grievances, Joeleen Anderson, acting planning and consents lead at the city council, explained that all resource consent applications were processed on a non-notified basis. “The council did not undertake consultation under the Resource Management Act with the residents’ association as they were not identified as an affected party as part of the resource consent process,” she clarified.

Anderson further stated that the city council does not have discretion to consult if the criteria for non-notification are met. McIntosh countered that any use of road reserve land should have been a matter of community interest and should have warranted discussion with residents.

The project has also faced delays attributed to objections from a minority of nearby residents. John Peez, property owner and director of Brinkman Peez, mentioned that these concerns have forced them to modify their plans significantly. “They have kicked up so much, and thanks to them, we’ve had to change all our consents,” he stated. Peez received an original resource consent in 2022, but amendments were required after complaints arose about the non-notification status of nearby residents. Another resource consent was granted in 2024, after an independent commissioner upheld the decision not to notify the application.

The cost of the project has reportedly increased by approximately $400,000 due to these resident interventions. Anderson acknowledged that there would be changes to the cliff face as a result of the development. “Although the site is within the District Plan Coastal Environment, as are many sites in this location, the cliff area is not listed in the District Plan as either an outstanding natural feature or a significant feature,” she noted.

Despite the controversy, Peez emphasized the architectural quality of the design. “You will not get a better architecturally designed home that is more in keeping with the landscape than that,” he asserted.

As the development progresses, the ongoing dialogue between developers and residents highlights the complexities involved in balancing residential growth with community concerns.