Lincoln

Planning for expansion: the reinvention of a small town in New Zealand

Name	Lincoln Structure Plan
Place	Lincoln
Country	New Zealand
Topic	please enter the topic here
Author(s)	Paul Wilson
Completion	Please enter the date of completion
Client	Please enter the client
Project costs	Please enter the costs (if known)
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Rationale: Why is this case study interesting?

This is the story of what shaped and influenced the development of a structure plan for a small town in New Zealand. Lincoln township is intimately linked to the history of Lincoln University. Its historical evolution illustrates many generic aspects of small rural towns in New Zealand, but it has special interest because of the way it is associated with the development of New Zealand. The Resource Management Act 1991 in conjunction with restructuring of the state sector and local and regional government has brought about significant changes in the approach to environmental management in New Zealand. The future of Lincoln will be shaped by the goals and principles of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy, which has identified Lincoln as a growth centre, based upon its potential for a ‘new knowledge economy’. This case study explores the elements, patterns and dynamics that are shaping the character of Lincoln as the community expands and moves from being a sleepy rural township to become a centre of growth and innovation. In particular I consider the role of Lincoln University in this transition both as a landowner and as an educator actively engaged in local issues and the development of the Landscape Architecture profession in New Zealand.

Author's perspective

As a Landscape Architecture Masters student at Lincoln I approach this case study both from an academic perspective and as a member of the community. My professional background is in regional land use planning and resource management both in northern Canada and China. This has equipped me with a McHargian perspective which we are encouraged to explore further through our design studios in landscape architecture. Experience working with communities has also given me an appreciation of the opportunities and limitations of grass roots initiatives. I believe the case study method provides a systematic and disciplined approach to landscape architecture and exploring Lincoln from this perspective provides a clearer insight into the patterns that have shaped the township. As part of the LE:NOTRE Urban Landscapes Seminar this provides a useful resource for learning, collaboration and development of a more culturally aware landscape architecture profession.

Landscape and/or urban context

Lincoln is on the Canterbury Plains which extend from Lake Ellesmere to the foothills of the Southern Alps. The lower Plains comprise a broad plain of un-cemented outwash river gravels overlain with variable loess cover from glacial periods (1). To the north and south mountain-fed rivers extend down to the Pacific Ocean. The Waimakariri flood plain extends across the south/eastern edge of Lincoln and the land is lower. At one time the edge of Lake Ellesmere was close to the centre of the township. This is reflected in the soil types with drier soils found in the north and heavier wetter soils are found in the south. It is also apparent in the water system surrounding the township. There is a distinctive change from water races to water drainage and from springs to wells. The original vegetation would also have reflected the soil conditions. Management of water is important for draining and irrigating productive agricultural land. The region has a temperate climate and receives an annual rainfall of 600-800mm/annum with westerly winds predominating in all seasons (2). Waterways, wetlands and areas of significant remnant vegetation are important for biodiversity and act as corridors for migrating birds. Drainage races extend as far as Lake Ellesmere which is the largest lake in New Zealand and a significant haven for birds. Locally habitat is found around the Liffey Stream system and pockets of vegetation around Lincoln University campus and the Crown Research Institutes. These provide islands between native remnants.

The cultural landscape of the Plains is dominated by agriculture and small settlements. The distant views to the Alps and Port Hills appear between coniferous shelter belts that provide definition to the open landform. The historic layout of Lincoln township is evident in the orderly grid aligned with the main street. There are also a number of heritage buildings and the mature trees along the Liffey stream which help orientate the visitor. No areas or sites of cultural significance to Maori have been identified to date within Lincoln township (3), although Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora) to the south has special cultural importance (4). At the centre of the township along Gerald Street there is a pub and several shops, community services, small commercial establishments and a poorly defined market square. Further along there is a modern café and a line of shops set back from the road facing into a car park. North of the centre there are primary and high schools, elderly residences, a golf course and cemetery. There is also a domain with several sports fields, a bowling club and tennis courts. The cottage garden style plantings and mature vegetation of some of the older sections introduce a distinctively rural European character although native planting now dominate particularly in new areas. There are several new suburban developments each with a distinctive branding. Here the lot sizes and street patterns are more irregular than the centre. There are frequent cul-de-sacs, pedestrian ways and many streets are narrower than the older avenues and lined with trees. Some of both the old and new sections have been fenced along the road frontage which detracts from the open street atmosphere.

On the road north-east towards Christchurch, former agricultural land is now dominated by lifestyle blocks which expanded during the 1990’s. Additional planting around these sites reduces the open character and blurs the distinction between urban and rural. In contrast the high rise buildings of Lincoln University emerge above mature trees to the east about one kilometre from the town centre. They are separated from residential areas by productive agricultural land and the Crown Research Institutes. Historic research records for soils in the area make the land invaluable for the region. The campus includes a range of contemporary buildings arranged around Ivey Hall (1878) which dates back to the original School of Agriculture. The campus has grown and adapted to accommodate a growing student population. In the summer the grounds are home of New Zealand cricket and there are sports fields, amenity gardens, a vineyard and an orchard. Both the University and the town centre are serviced by regular bus services to Hornby and Christchurch. There was once a rail connection to Christchurch and today there are plans to extend a cycle track along the original route.

Cultural/social/political context

Lincoln Township Settlement of Lincoln Village began in 1863 under the direction of the Canterbury Association which was set up to organise the settlement of the region (5). It served primarily as an agricultural settlement in an area renowned for its productivity and strong community spirit. As rural townships declined it maintained its vibrancy and retained essential services. In part this is attributed to the presence of the University and Crown Research Institutes, which provide stable employment and investment in the community. However, the varied demographic places demands on the townships accommodation and services. The Lincoln area is also popular for what Cadieux (2008) describes as “amenity migration to urban edge lifestyle landscapes”, which is reflected in the high number of professionals and retired people taking up residence (6). Many students now commute to Lincoln from more affordable parts of Christchurch. In response to changing rural character several projects have been initiated by the community including “An Environmental Plan for Lincoln (1974)” and “Lincoln - A vision for our future (2001)” (7), (8 & 9). The later was intended to provide an integrated approach towards a shared vision for Lincoln and ten visions were identified. The project coincided with growing National concern over urban development practices. Today the grassroots organisations such as Lincoln Enviro-Town take an active role in community development.

Lincoln University The School of Agriculture was established in 1878 reflecting the importance of agriculture for early European settlers. It was associated with Canterbury University (formerly Canterbury College) until 1896 and again between 1961 and 1990 during which it was known as Lincoln College. In 1990 it was separated from the University of Canterbury and became a full and self-governing university in its own right, with the title Lincoln University. Today it is one of eight publicly owned and operated government-funded universities that exists and operates under New Zealand statute, principally the New Zealand Education Act 1989. It is a research-led institution with an emphasis on land-based disciplines and their associated industries. Responsibility for the University's commercial trading activities is delegated to Lincoln University Holdings Ltd.

Ngāi Tahu The Māori people of the southern islands of New Zealand are known as Ngāi Tahu. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu provides a detailed description of their history (10). Their decedents first arrived from Polynesia around 1500 years ago and began to transform the unoccupied landscape through hunting and fire. Around 1795 they first encountered and traded with Pākehā (European) sealers and whalers. In 1840 the Maori signed the Treaty of Wiatangi with the British Crown (11). Since then they were progressively marginalised. It was only in the late 20th century that efforts were made at reconciliation. These developments have led to a revival in Maori values and culture. In 1991 the Waitangi Tribunal found the tribe to be entitled to substantial redress through a process of negotiated settlements. The Crown's Settlement Offer included Economic Redress in the form of cash and mechanisms that “gave Ngāi Tahu the capacity, right and opportunity to re-establish its tribal base” (12). The Treaty Settlement Area of Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora) is in close proximity to Lincoln. The Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Act 1996 established Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to service the tribe's statutory rights. Their investment company trades under the name Ngāi Tahu Holdings Group and its subsidiaries include Ngāi Tahu Property Limited. The company’s main focus is property investment and development and the management of the Iwi's Right of First Refusal (RFR) to purchase Crown property assets under Part 9 of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. Since its inception in 1994 it has grown to become one of the largest property companies in the South Island of New Zealand.

Planning System As a colony New Zealand inherited a government and planning system similar to Britain. The flow of trade and migrants from the west helped maintain this heritage until the 1980’s when pressures from globalisation led New Zealand to deregulate and restructure its economy. Resource production and environmental management functions were separated and agricultural subsidies were removed. A new institutional framework was delivered through the Environmental Act 1986, the Conservation Act 1987 and amendments to the Local Government Act 1974 in 1989. This laid a foundation for the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA91) and Local Government Act 2002 (LGA02), which provide the legislative context in which the Lincoln Structure Plan was developed. The RMA91 superseded a multitude of other statutes with a philosophy of 'sustainable management' and created a three tier hierarchical planning framework. Central Government retains an overview function while environmental monitoring and management responsibilities are devolved to elected Regional (Environment Canterbury) and District Councils (Selwyn District Council). Under RMA91 National and Regional Policy Statements are prepared and each District is required to prepare a District Plan. All documents must be consistent with RMA91 and each other. Local authorities also became subject to the Local Government Act 2002 which sets out principles for consultation. The new legislative framework presented a challenge to local government resources and conventional planning processes. The familiar zoning approach was replaced by effects based management with decisions based on 'perceived sustainability'. It took time to develop and approve the District Plans and it was difficult to attend to all community concerns, particularly in respect to the tensions over development on the urban fringe. This was apparent in the withdrawal of the Proposed Selwyn District Plan in 1998 due to the large number of submissions. In subsequent years a series of complementary policy documents have been developed to address these issues. The National 'Urban Design Protocol' provides a "framework of national policy guidance around successful towns and cities and quality urban design"(13). At the Regional Level the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS) has been developed. This sets out land use distribution, particularly the areas available for urban development, the household densities for various areas and other key components for consolidated and integrated urban development and that land which is to remain rural for resource protection and enhancement and other reasons (14). The UDS projected figures provided a basis for developing the Lincoln Structure Plan (LSP). The purpose of the LSP is to outline an urban design vision for the future development of Lincoln Township and to provide a strategic framework to guide the development process (3).

Landscape Architecture Profession Jones (2000) provides a detailed history of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects and additional information is provided in Wilson (2005)(15)(16). The foundation of the profession in New Zealand is closely related to the University of Lincoln. Professional education in landscape architecture was first offered at Lincoln in 1969 and by 1972 there were sufficient graduates to form the institute. The majority of landscape architects practicing in New Zealand today have spent time at Lincoln University. Under the RMA91 landscape is grouped into three categories: outstanding landscapes (s 6b), amenity landscapes (s 7c & s 7d) and other landscapes. In this context landscape is seen as an"integrator, embracing other resources"(Henderson & de Lambert 1993)(17). This provided new impetus for growth of the profession. Being involved in Structure Planning is one of a broad range of tasks the landscape architecture profession is called upon to undertake in New Zealand today.

Crown Research Institutes In 1992 former public resource production functions were devolved to state owned corporations or privatised. Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) were established under the Crown Research Institutes Act 1992 as Government-owned businesses with a scientific purpose. Each institute is based around a productive sector of the economy or a grouping of natural resources. A number of these are based in Lincoln providing jobs and revenue to the community and links with the University. The CRI’s are positioned to provide technological and information based services and Lincoln has the potential to develop a 'new knowledge economy'. This was identified under the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy.

History

Spatial analysis of area/project/plan

• What are the main structural features?

Lincoln is situated between Christchurch City and the Scenic Reserves of the South Alps.

The University, Crown Research Institutes and other institutions are major landowners.

The University campus is somewhat detached from the main township.

High water table/flood area in east may not be suitable for development

Drainage catchment in the south has limited capacity for storm water runoff limiting development.

High voltage transmission lines

Water treatment plant with buffer and capacity considerations.

The Liffey stream intersects the township

Existing Land Use Zoning

Isolated areas of Contaminated Land

• How has it been shaped?

Under RMA91 agricultural land between development and conservation has become highly contested.

The growth of Lincoln University and the CRI’s is attracting investment and jobs to Lincoln.

The Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy identified Lincoln as a regional growth centre based on its potential for a ‘new knowledge economy’ providing a regional framework for Structure Plan development.

The University and CRI’s recognized the financial opportunities of residential and commercial land development. They also value the independence provided by their rural setting. Some land is invaluable because of historic research trial records.

Ngāi Tahu Property Limited has the Right of First Refusal on the sale of Crown Land (including Lincoln University and CRI’s lands) under the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998.

The community was actively interested in their future

• Were there any critical decisions?

Lincoln University and Ngāi Tahu Property Limited agreed to undertake a joint venture to develop the old dairy farm site for residential development.

Community initatives sought the expertise of Lincoln University and the support of Selwyn District Council. This provided a foundation for structure planning and mobilized the community.

Managing and maintaining blue and green networks and infrastructure were identified as important to maintain biodiversity and manage water, particularly in built up areas.

The University is actively engaged in the community and student studios and research provide innovative ideas and options for future development.

Urban Limits will be defined to contain development and areas re-zoned for residential

Changes were proposed to the Regional Policy Statement.

Analysis of program/function

• What are the main functional characteristics?

The purpose of the Lincoln Structure Plan (LSP) is to outline an urban design vision for the future development of Lincoln Township and to provide a strategic framework to guide the development process. The LSP has been prepared in order to facilitate an integrated approach to achieving the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the Lincoln Study Area. This includes:

Development of an urban design strategy for the area;

Identification of key natural resources and community assets within and related to the area;

Establishing an integrated land use pattern that responds to the characteristics of the area;

Identification of infrastructure requirements to facilitate urban development.

(Lincoln Struture Plan 2008 (3)

• How have they been expressed or incorporated?

Illustration: Map/diagram/sketches photos and background notes

Analysis of design/planning process

• How was the area/project/plan formulated and implemented?
• Were there any important consultations/collaborations?

Illustration: Map/diagram/sketches photos and background notes

Analysis of use/users

• How is the area/project/plan used and by whom?
• Is the use changing? Are there any issues?

Illustration: Map/diagram/sketches photos and background notes

Future development directions

• How is the area/project/plan evolving?
• Are there any future goals?

Illustration: Map/diagram/sketches photos and background notes

Peer reviews or critique

• Has the area/ project/plan been reviewed by academic or professional reviewers?
• What were their main evaluations?

Pleas add references, quotes...

Points of success and limitations

• What do you see as the main points of success and limitations of the area/project/plan?

Illustration: Summary table

What can be generalized from this case study?

• Are there any important theoretical insights?

Short statement plus background notes

Which research questions does it generate?

Short statement plus background notes

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References

(1) Canterbury Regional Council. (1993). Canterbury Regional Landscape Study (Volume 1 and 2). Prepared by Boffa Miskell Limited and Lucas Associates. Christchurch, New Zealand.

(2) Bennett, E., Clayton, A., Roper-Lindsay, J., Wilson, A., Fussell, A. & Johnson, C. (1993). Natural Resources of the Canterbury Region: A Survey and Evaluation for Management.Christchurch, New Zealand: Ministry of Works and Development, Environmental Design Section.

(3) Selwyn District Council (2008). Lincoln Structure Plan. Christchurch, New Zealand: Selwyn District Council. Retrieved from: http://www.selwyn.govt.nz/planning/Lincoln/final.pdf

(4) Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. (2005). Te Waihora Joint Management Plan. Christchurch, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. Retrieved from: http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/about-doc/role/policies-and-plans/te-waihora-joint-management-plan/

(5) Lincoln University Profile (2008, November 25th) Retrieved from the University of New Zealand Web site: http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/section69.html?

(6) Cadieux, K. V. (2008). Political ecology of exurban ‘‘lifestyle’’ landscapes at Christchurch’s contested urban fence. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 7 (2008) 183–194. doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2008.05.003

(7) Jackman, A. E., Mason, S. M., and Densem, G. H. (1974). An Environmental Plan for Lincoln Village – prepared for the Environment Committee of Lincoln, Landscape Consulting Services, Landscape Architecture Section, Horticulture Department, Lincoln College.

(8) Bowring, J., Montgomery, R., Rixecker, S., Kissling, C. and Steven. A. (2001). Lincoln: a vision for our future : a community-participation based envisioning project for the future Lincoln village. Volume II. Background Data. A joint Selwyn District Council and University of Lincoln Project.

(9) Bowring, J., Montgomery, R., Rixecker, S., Kissling, C. and Steven. A. 2001. Lincoln: a vision for our future : a community-participation based envisioning project for the future Lincoln village. Volume I. Report. A joint Selwyn District Council and University of Lincoln Project.

(10) Who We Are. (2008, November 25). Retrieved from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Web site: http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/About%20Ngai%20Tahu/Who%20We%20Are

(11) Ministry of Culture and Heritage. (2007, November 21). Read the Treaty. Retrieved from http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/treaty/read-the-treaty/english-text

(12) Economic Security. (2008, November 25). Retrieved from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Web site: http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/About%20Ngai%20Tahu/Who%20We%20Are

(13) Ministry of the Environment. (2005). New Zealand Urban Design Protocol. Retrieved from: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/urban/design-protocol-mar05/urban-design-protocol-colour.pdf

(14) Urban Development Strategy. (2007). Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy and Action Plan 2007. Retrieved from: www.greaterchristchurch.org.nz/StrategyDocument/UDSActionPlan2007.pdf

(15) Jones, M (2000). History of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects. Retrieved from: http://www.nzila.co.nz/conf_coming.asp

(16) Dr Wilson, J. (2005). Christchurch City Contextual History Overview Full. Retrieved from: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Christchurch/Heritage/Publications/ChristchurchCityContextualHistoryOverview/ChristchurchCityContextualHistoryOverviewFull.pdf

(17) Henderson, E. & de Lambert, R. (1993). Landscape Values and Resource Management. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry for the Environment.

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