About 6000 people live in Christchurch's inner city, a third less than before the earthquakes.

Incentives could be part of a new attempt to boost central Christchurch's population after a report showed multiple reasons for residents staying away.

Christchurch's inner city population of 6000 is a third lower than before the earthquakes, and a New Zealand Property Council report has labelled the authorities' target of 20,000 residents by 2024 unrealistic.

The report listed high land and building costs, affordability in the suburbs, consent hassles and a lack of apartment culture among the reasons for the lack of population growth.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/STUFF Christchurch had seen a lot of retail, office and civic development "but the missing ingredient is people," says mayor Lianne Dalziel.

This week a Christchurch City Council committee will consider a newly announced three-year plan aimed at accelerating the repopulation.



READ MORE:

* Costs, lack of apartment culture holding back Christchurch's inner city push

* Faster repopulation needed in central Christchurch for business survival

* Grief keeping some Christchurch residents out of quake-damaged central city

* Christchurch's next problem: bringing residents back into the CBD

* Christchurch's housing paradox –​ the downside of a building boom

The plan included exploring development incentives, a new advice service and online database of information for developers and buyers, a plan to maintain amenities and infrastructure, and a marketing campaign. It includes a rescheduled 2028 target for 20,000 residents.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the plan included ways to "kick things into gear", including building neighbourhood identity and making high density living work.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/STUFF Project 8011 will try to boost inner city resident numbers by "encouraging, supporting and accelerating the delivery of the required homes".

Christchurch had seen a lot of retail, office and civic development "but the missing ingredient is people," she said.

They also needed to fast-track development, and had "some of the tools to do that and will investigate others".

"We would like to reduce the risk and increase the feasibility of development, and offer support to developers through the entire process."

IAIN MCGREGOR/Stuff Julie Frew prefers the suburbs to central Christchurch. She has a garden, chickens and a yard for son Felix, 3, to enjoy. (Video first published in August 2018)

The plan is called Project 8011 after the central city postcode and the estimated number of homes needed for 20,000 people.

Possible development incentives including low equity loans, rebates on development contributions and investment from the NZ Super Fund.

Project 8011 would try to boost resident numbers by providing more choice of housing, and by "encouraging, supporting and accelerating the delivery of the required homes", a council statement said.

This apartment plan, the winner of a Government-organised competition, is one of several abandoned or postponed in central Christchurch.

Property Council South Island president Roger Davidson welcomed the new plan, but said the city council would need to work with the property industry to make it a reality.

"A focussed approach is necessary to get things moving," he said.

"Our research suggests some key areas need to be addressed before we will see successful residential development in the central city."

GEORGE HEARD/STUFF Apartment development in central Christchurch.

Several major central Christchurch apartment developments, especially ones with dearer homes, have been cancelled or postponed since the earthquakes. The property council's research found a major barrier to new apartments was the high cost of land and construction. Banks' tightened lending rules for new developments and a lack of older buildings available for redevelopment were also holding things back, the researchers said.

The city lacked the "apartment culture" of Auckland and Wellington where high prices for homes in inner suburbs pushed people into apartments, the report said.

"In Christchurch, it is possible to buy a relatively affordable house close to the CBD with a limited commute time", the report said.

GEORGE HEARD/STUFF Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says people are the missing ingredient in central Christchurch.

A lack of community feeling in the central city was another deterrent, with Christchurch's ongoing construction and spread-out development having an influence, the report said.