LFBIT Breaks Ground on New Zealand’s First Comprehensive Disability and Rehabilitation Hub
The development will provide comprehensive rehabilitation services and specialist housing for 30 Residents in Purpose-Built Accommodation.
Laura Ferguson Brain Injury Trust is commencing construction on New Zealand’s first comprehensive rehabilitation, recovery and supported housing hub, addressing a critical shortage of accommodation for people with complex disabilities across the South Island.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 21st August, at 126 North Parade, and was attended by Ōtautahi Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger, local iwi leaders, Councillors, Richmond Business Association and Pareawa Banks Avenue School representatives. The day marks the beginning of a transformative development that will replace the organisation’s outdated 1970s facility with purpose-built housing and clinical services designed specifically for today’s complex disability needs.
“Our existing building was built in the 1970s and today’s more complex needs can no longer be met within this environment,” explains Kathryn Jones, Trust CEO. “The expenditure required to bring it up to standard doesn’t make good financial sense. It was suitable 50 years ago but not for individuals requiring our support today.”
Addressing Critical Housing Shortage for Complex Disabilities
Co-designed with the Trust’s current residents and their whānau, the new development will feature up to five six-bedroom houses specifically designed for people with high and complex disability needs who require 24-hour care. The Trust currently supports over 1,200 clients at any given time, through residential services and community rehabilitation programmes, making it the only provider of its kind in the South Island and one of only three across New Zealand.
“There is a significant lack of housing for people with complex disabilities in New Zealand and what we are proposing to provide on this site at 126 North Parade will be purpose designed and built houses to accommodate people with significant disabilities,” Jones stated.
The development addresses an increasingly urgent need as New Zealand faces a growing prevalence of people with multiple disabilities and complex health conditions, and an aging population within a fragmented health and disability service.
Comprehensive Service Hub Model
Beyond housing, the project will establish New Zealand’s first integrated disability service hub, combining residential care with clinical rehabilitation and specialist assessment services under one roof. The development includes purpose-built clinics for specialist assessment and rehabilitation services, a gymnasium for community-based client rehabilitation, and dedicated space for the Trust’s social enterprise, Can Do Catering.
“Our hub will also have a gym proving a dedicated space for rehabilitation for our community based clients,” Jones explained, highlighting the facility’s dual role serving both residential clients and the broader disability community.
Office space in the hub will follow, to accommodate clinical allied health staff and administration teams, as well as providing meeting and training rooms, creating a comprehensive support ecosystem for clients with traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and other complex disabilities.
Strategic Location Enhances Community Integration
The North Parade location was selected for its proximity to community amenities and existing disability support networks. The site sits close to local amenities in Shirley, with strong community support from the Richmond business community and Pareawa Banks Avenue School.
Existing partnerships enhance the location’s value, including collaboration with the nearby Avon hub, which already provides sporting facilities for people with disabilities in partnership with Parafed Canterbury.
Four Years of Development Culminates in Construction
The groundbreaking ceremony represents the culmination of four years of intensive planning and regulatory approval processes. The Trust has spent this period developing plans, fundraising, and gaining resource consent to build on the site.
The first construction phase focuses on “the re-establishment and repair of the bridge onto the site,” with the groundbreaking event marking the commencement of this project.
