This option would involve building a new library on a different site in Te Ngākau Civic Precinct. There could be a number of possible sites which would be explored after the public consultation stage. The building would be designed to a high level of seismic resilience ensuring people’s safety and full service continuity after an earthquake. Like Option D, the new build provides the greatest opportunity to design the space as a library and community facility for the long term. The future of the existing building would need to be resolved, potentially through sale or lease, however the Council would retain ownership of the land. Protection of the heritage elements would also need to be ensured.

Key elements of this option are:

• High level of seismic safety and resilience
• Designed to incorporate best practice sustainability and accessibility standards and respond to long-term climate change concerns
• Opportunity to create different connections to Te Ngākau Civic Precinct and surrounding areas
• Opportunity to reimagine and design a multipurpose Central Library and civic and community facility for current and future users.

At a glance
Cost	$156.5m - $160.7m
Increase for Average Residential Ratepayer	$50.60 - $52.60pa
Indicative opening date	November 2023

Advantages	Disadvantages
High level of seismic safety and resilience means minimal risk of future building closures.	A site has to be identified and decisionmaking process completed with potential to add delays to overall timeframe
Opportunity to fully optimise the design to meet future library service requirements.	The future of the existing building will need to be resolved through a separate process
Could be built to high sustainability standards	New build options have the longest timeframes to the library re-opening
Lower cost than high-level remediation option and potential for revenue from sale/lease of existing building
Existing building retained alleviating heritage and sustainability concerns that would result from demolition
Designed to address and mitigate future climate change impacts
Opportunity to align with best practice accessibility standards
Significant opportunities for partnerships
New and enhanced connections to Te Ngākau Civic Precinct

The new build estimates do not include base isolation as the desired level of building resilience can be achieved in a new build without it. However if the decision was made to base isolate a new building the additional cost would not be significant.

The cost estimates for the new build option do include estimated demolition and removal costs.

Tūranga by Christchurch City Libraries / CC

BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/27zhQ2e

Poets in Tūranga on National Poetry Day by Christchurch City

Libraries / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/2h5X6Uh