Christchurch vision 'must not get bogged down by bureaucracy'

A CLEAR vision for the restoration of Christchurch must be outlined as quickly as possible to ensure the shattered city's economy is not strangled.

A CLEAR vision for the restoration of Christchurch must be outlined as quickly as possible to ensure the shattered city's economy is not strangled by bureaucratic delays, a group of New Zealand industry figures has warned.

As the death toll from the February 22 earthquake climbed to 163 yesterday, a non-government advisory panel of experts from several fields including engineering, architecture, urban planning and design, and property development prepared to hold their first meeting about developing a proposal for the rebuilding of the city.

Architect Peter Marshall, whose company Warren and Mahoney was behind the creation of the post-quake think tank, said getting Christchurch "back on its feet as soon as possible" was a key consideration of the panel.

"The prime reason for doing this is to express some vision for the future, and the practicalities of what we can do as a city," Mr Marshall said. "The bottom line is that Christchurch will never be the same again, which is not to say it will be worse off than it was before."

But he said it was also vital that the group - which formed of its own accord - operate independently of government.

"We can't allow the whole process to become bogged down by bureaucracies," he said.

"The recovery after the September 4 earthquake could have been handled a bit better, so we want to try and make sure that this time round things are done a bit better." The panel will put together a blueprint for the city's future and present it to the council.

Authorities say at least a third - and as many as a half - of buildings in the CBD need to be demolished. More than 50,000 people were employed in the CBD, parts of which could be closed for up to six months.

The economy could stall badly if construction of fresh retail precincts and business premises does not get under way soon.

Peter Townsend, chief executive of the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce, said there was ample room for commercial developments on the city's fringe.

"The way I look at it, 150 years ago our forefathers developed a plan for Christchurch. Now we have the opportunity to develop a plan for the next 150 years," Mr Townsend said.

"Unlike other major cities that have been hit by earthquakes in recent times, Christchurch is comprehensively insured so we have a massive cashflow for the rebuild.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for a fresh start. The fact is that commercial developments will have to spread to satellite suburbs because the city obviously can't go back to the way it was."

Patrick Clifford, president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, said an integrated, cross-industry approach was necessary in order to build a sustainable city, and maintaining the heritage feel of Christchurch was a big part of that.