Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāi Tahu Property, CDHB working to deliver Christchurch Hospital car park solution

“…i ahu mai ōku ture i tōku tipuna i a Tūāhuriri, ‘Āwhinatia, kia atawhai ki te iwi – My laws come from my ancestor, Tūāhuriri. Cherish and care for the people.”
(Pita Te Hori, Ūpoko, Ngāi Tūāhuriri)

A partnership involving Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāi Tahu Property, and the Canterbury District Health Board will enable the delivery of urgently needed new car parks close to the Christchurch Hospital campus.

The new parking building on the corner of St Asaph Street and Hagley Avenue will provide about 450 parks to replace those lost due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri Ūpoko Dr Te Maire Tau says the rūnanga is delighted to be involved in delivering a permanent solution to a long-term problem.

“This project simply confirms the tribal agreement in our Charter where Rūnanga hold ‘tino-rangatiratanga’ in their takiwā. This is an agreement brought to the table by our leadership and it benefits Ngāi Tahu and the community. Part of our role as mana whenua in this city is to look after the people in our communities. Being in a position to provide additional car parking in such close proximity to the hospital campus, we hope to remove some of the frustrations that have been present for patients and their whānau in recent years.

“We are pleased to be working alongside the Canterbury District Health Board, Ōtākaro, and Ngāi Tahu Property to deliver this building for Ōtautahi and all those who visit or use the hospital.”

The Canterbury District Health Board will lease the land to Ngāi Tahu Property for 35 years. Ngāi Tahu Property will build and manage the parking building during that period. Ownership will be transferred to the Canterbury District Health Board after that date. Ngāi Tūāhuriri is investing into the partnership alongside Ngāi Tahu Property.

Ngāi Tahu Holdings Chief Executive Mike Pohio says the project is a long-term opportunity for both the Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu Property investment portfolios.

“This is a promising partnership between iwi and Crown that further cements the longstanding relationships we have built over the past two decades throughout Te Waipounamu.

“We look forward to releasing our designs and getting started on building this urgently-needed parking solution in the coming weeks.”

Ngāi Tahu Property expects to complete the car park within 18 to 24 months.