Williams Poto: Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWilliams Poto: Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 29 March 2016. Volume:712;Page:9960. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]POTO WILLIAMS (Labour—Christchurch East): I just want to make a brief contribution on the second part of this bill and really to refer my comments back as I said in my previous contribution to the area of New Brighton and the importance that this bill has in supporting the rebuilding of the business infrastructure in the area.There have been stacks and stacks of plans to regenerate the New Brighton area and one of the things that I have been really mindful of in my community is to say that I have always felt that the partner that has been missing in any opportunity to rebuild the area has been central government. So this legislation actually brings to the table all of those parties that actually will now be able to fulfil some dreams for the people of New Brighton. It brings together the local government in relation to the Christchurch City Council it brings on board the regional government it brings on board Ngāi Tahu and also central government and the key stakeholders behind what will be we hope a significant opportunity for our community to rebuild its business retail and commercial heart. In order for our eastern suburbs to develop and grow we need to return and restore our commercial and business interest particularly to the New Brighton area.I for one am very pleased that this opportunity has come to us to pass but I do also have a note of caution to add in there which is that there is a high level of expectation in the community that this bill will deliver what the community expects. I know that as my colleague the Hon Clayton Cosgrove said we do not necessarily want the world. We know that our expectations do need to be tempered with a dose of reality but it has been too good an opportunity for our community to pass up and not make some contribution to the discussion. So I for one am pleased that we are going to be able to voice our hopes and desires for our New Brighton community and that this bill will allow for those dreams to be realised.There is a significant amount of infrastructure that needs to go in place to support that development and I know that there is a great deal of work that is happening in the eastern suburbs at the moment. I want to ensure that what happens post the transition from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority to Regenerate Christchurch is actually as smooth as it can be because we in the eastern suburbs still have significant amounts of horizontal infrastructure yet to be completed. It has been commissioned at this stage and I would hope that the transition from one entity to the next does not diminish the work that is in place at the moment but actually enhances it. We have got some concerns about the speed at which the horizontal infrastructure is going into place in Christchurch East in particular and I would hope that this legislation facilitates that not only to happen speedily but to happen well.I did make a note in my previous contribution about the acquisition of land and how important that may be in the plans that we have for the New Brighton area particularly around the redevelopment of the business area—the New Brighton mall and the reorientation of the mall to take most advantage I guess of diminishing the effect of the easterly wind on the people who visit our particularly beautiful part of Christchurch.I guess the only thing I do need to add to this is what may happen to the disposal of the land particularly the residential red zone. I have noted in a previous contribution that there is a significant amount of emotion attached to that land by the people who have had to leave it and not by their own choice. So I would hope that in the discussions about what happens to that land full consideration is given to the wishes of the people who used to own that land and that property and that they will be able to be a part of a very considered approach to not only what happens with the disposal but what happens with the redevelopment of that land. I agree with Denis O’Rourke that there is no doubt that not only will that land be developed for great recreational use but there will be other facilities and amenities that will go into the residential red zone.So I advise a bit of caution and I ask people to take full cognisance of the importance that those parcels of land had for the families that lived there prior to their having to leave when the area was red-zoned. On that note thank you and I conclude my contribution.