Site History

Shirley Road History
Originally Shirley Road started at Westminster Street (now Aylesford Street), before crossing over Hills Road to Marshland Road.
https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Maps/174743.asp

“Susannah Buxton (née Shirley) was married to John Buxton (1806–1886). On her deathbed in 1868, she asked her son, Joseph Shirley Buxton (1833–1898), to gift land to the Methodists to build a church. Her wish was carried out and the Shirley Methodist Church was named after her. The suburb eventually became known as Shirley after the church.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley,_New_Zealand


Significant Park Trees
There are 8 Significant Park Trees (Protected Vegetation) along the northern & eastern boundary of the Shirley Community Reserve.


Dudley Creek
Dudley Creek runs along the southern boundary of the Shirley Community Reserve, 10 Shirley Road.
https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/dudley-creek/
https://www.wsp.com/en-NZ/projects/dudley-creek-flood-remediation
https://ccc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Environment/Water/appendixc.pdf
https://www.riseuprichmond.nz/dudley-creek/


Chancellor Street Heritage Houses
“This former Workers’ Dwelling Act dwelling has historical and social significance as one of seven houses built on the east side of Chancellor Street in 1914 as part of the Chancellor Street Settlement under the Workers’ Dwellings Act 1905. The act and its successors established the first programme of public housing provision in New Zealand by central government.”
“New Zealand Premier ‘King’ Dick Seddon’s Liberal Government (1893-1906) wanted architectural variety, rather than uniformity, in the design of the workers’ dwellings. Local architects submitted entries to design competitions held throughout New Zealand and the dwellings were built by local contractors.”
“The Chancellor Street houses also form part of New Zealand’s heritage of state housing generally. The setting is the original 1914 rectangular land parcel with a small garden between the house and the roadway and a larger open space at the rear.”
– 72 Chancellor Street: https://goo.gl/maps/MQ1PE5QEhPyGs7o3A
https://districtplan.ccc.govt.nz/Images/DistrictPlanImages/Statement%20of%20Significance/Christchurch/HID%20112.pdf
– 70 Chancellor Street: https://goo.gl/maps/vQrotJHgSm2eczf49
https://districtplan.ccc.govt.nz/Images/DistrictPlanImages/Statement%20of%20Significance/Christchurch/HID%20111.pdf
– 66 Chancellor Street: https://goo.gl/maps/PPRMJDMoVzigGmgv8
https://districtplan.ccc.govt.nz/Images/DistrictPlanImages/Statement%20of%20Significance/Christchurch/HID%20110.pdf


Dudley Character Area
https://www.riseuprichmond.nz/dudley-character-area/
“In Christchurch, some of these homes were designed by some prominent local architects including Hurst Segar, Cecil Wood, Barlow and England. Three pockets of these homes were built in Christchurch in 1918 to 1920, one being in Chancellor Street.
Of the three pockets of these homes built in Christchurch, little remains of the other two, so Chancellor Street is unique in the fact that they are all still there and are in good hands.”
Chancellor Street Today by Alan Williamson
https://www.aveburyhouse.co.nz/uploads/4/7/2/0/47203855/rcn-066-february-2009.pdf
http://resources.ccc.govt.nz/files/TheCouncil/policiesreportsstrategies/districtplanning/districtplanreview/dpr_residential_appendix20.pdf
https://ccc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Consents-and-Licences/resource-consents/Forms/Character-Areas/Dudley-Design-Guide-2019.pdf


Shirley Playcentre (back right corner of the Shirley Community Reserve)
61 Chancellor Street: https://goo.gl/maps/oqMKT7MQJawX1YAN7
“Shirley Playcentre operates under the guidance of the Canterbury Playcentre Association. The playcentre is a parent cooperative with parents encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the playcentre’s programme and management.
Shirley Playcentre is located in the Shirley Community reserve. Since the 2012 ERO report, the playcentre’s main focus has been to upgrade the outdoor environment.
The community has become increasingly transient and culturally diverse due to the changes in employment in the local area.”
https://ero.govt.nz/institution/70118/shirley-playcentre