Hamilton Urban Blog

Page 14 CCTP “Hamilton’s central city footprint is significantly larger when compared to most with populations our size or bigger including the new central city planned for Christchurch”

Interestingly, the only comparison seems to be with “40 hectares Christchurch Central City Size” (p.9) which is a quarter of its pre-earthquake size. So before this post benchmarks Central city size, we should try to understand the change in size in Christchurch.

The first reference to central Christchurch being too large comes from the Recovery Blueprint over a 100 day period.

“In just a few months a handpicked team of urban design experts created a bold plan that slashes Christchurch’s CBD area from 160 hectares to 42 hectares” Press – Plan will change the face of Christchurch.

In the plan, page 46 states “The right size – Historically the central city commercial area has been too large, with variable building quality and occupancy. A compact Core provides better outcomes” Herald – Christchurch Central recovery plan

Looking at “better outcomes” The Ernst & Young “CERA Christchurch Central City Commercial Property Market Study” CERA christchurch central city commercial property market study

Interestingly, “too large” does not get a mention in the following earlier plans.

Central City Plan for Ministerial Approval – Dec 2011 CCC Central City Plan or Christchurch 2009 Public space Public Life – Gehl Architects – Christchurch 2009 – PSPL – Gehl – page 23

For a historical reference, The Culture of Cities, by Lewis Mumford, states on page58, Chapter 10, ‘Control of Growth and Expansion’ that “At its widest, no medieval town usually extended more than half a mile [804m, 10 minute walk] from its centre (200 hectares).”

Here the 2012 Hamilton City Centre Local Area Plan – page 12, gives us a view of what it looks like. Hamilton Central City Local Area Plan

Now, from the 1950s, Raymond E. Murphy’s book, Central Business District, is a study of CBDs in 9 American cities with average populations of 196,000 (p.34). On page 43 Murphy tells us the average ground extent of the nine cities was 115.9 acres [47 hectares], ranging from Worcester MA at 87.1 acres [35 hectares] to 189.4 acres [76 hectares]

Interestingly, Baron Haussmann’s Paris and Inner London are not small city centres.

Maybe a great city centre is large and a good CBD is small. Here is list of CBDs and Central City sizes.

An Apology for the builder – Nicholas Barbon 1685– Page 10

“Gentlemen that fancy the city to be the head of the nation would but fancy it like the heart they would never be afraid of its growing too big”