Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Twenty-two Christchurch groups have lodged a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman over the handling of proposed housing density changes.
Tuesday was the first day of a submissions panel on the Christchurch City Council's proposed changes which could see greater housing intensification in a number of suburbs.
The plan change has been brought in as a response to a requirement from the government.
However, a Christchurch group, made up of 19 residents' associations and three other groups, have now complained to the ombudsman saying the panel process was unfair.
Riccarton Bush-Kilmarnock Residents' Association's Tony Simons said there were a number of issues the group was concerned about, including late changes to the council proposal.
Simons said submissions on the plan change closed in May, and after that only those who had made a submission could make further contributions to the process, but the council then made further changes to the plans.
He said he would like the hearing panel to be paused.
Council head of planning and consents John Higgins said council officers have made recommendations to the Independent Hearings Panel on the submissions received, including recommended changes to the plan change as notified.
"This has regard to the merits of what has been sought in submissions, as well as following review of the evidence to date. It is consistent with other planning processes under the Resource Management Act here in Christchurch and elsewhere," he said.
"The Independent Hearing Panel (IHP) will consider the recommendations of council officers along with the evidence put forward by submitters before making recommendations to the council next year. The recommendations made by the IHP may well differ again from what was notified and what has been recommended by council officers."
Higgins said council would assist the ombudsman with its inquiry to the extent required but had no further comment on the complaint.
The first submitter at the panel was the Christchurch City Council's legal counsel for the Plan Change 14 process, Cedric Carranceja.
Carranceja said Christchurch's district plan was extensively reworked after the Canterbury earthquakes, and pre-empted urban development issues which have since emerged in other centres.
The changes prompted central government to take action to increase housing in other cities, with Christchurch almost looked at as a case-study, he said.
The hearing of submissions was expected to continue until the end of November, with a further six days scheduled next year.