St Martins | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 43°33′23″S172°39′10″E / 43.556479°S 172.652748°E | |
Country | New Zealand |
City | Christchurch |
Local authority | Christchurch City Council |
Electoral ward | Cashmere [1] |
Community board | Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote |
Area | |
• Land | 105 ha (259 acres) |
Population (June 2024) [3] | |
• Total | 2,850 |
Sydenham | Waltham | |
Beckenham | St Martins | Opawa |
Huntsbury | Hillsborough |
St Martins is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located two kilometres south of the city centre.
Amenities include the Centaurus and Saint Martins Parks. St Martins is primarily a residential area, and contains a small shopping mall complex situated on Wilsons Road, the main thoroughfare through the suburb.
Like most of Christchurch suburbs, St Martins does not have clearly defined boundaries. The Heathcote River is often used as a boundary with Beckenham, Waltham and Opawa – St Martins is on the right bank, on the flat land between the river and the Port Hills.
Prior to European settlement, much of the suburb consisted of marshlands and swamp which were heavily connected to the ecosystem of the Heathcote River. [4] Proximity to the river and the original state of the land have caused the area to suffer damage in the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes which hit the region. In many areas of the city including St Martins, ground levels dropped by 20–30 centimetres (7.9–11.8 inches) making the already low-lying areas adjacent to the river more susceptible to flooding during periods of heavy rain. [5]
The land was purchased by Henry Phillips in the early days of European settlement and converted into an orchard, which Phillips held for himself and his family. [6] It was Phillips who first named the area St Martins, although the exact origin of this is unclear. One likely contender is that it was named after Saint Martin's Hall in London, where a gathering of Canterbury pilgrims (who Phillips was associated with) was held immediately prior to their departure for Christchurch.
The orchard was first subdivided by Phillips in 1863 using the name St Martins, which appeared in official sources fifteen years later. [6] As with many neighbouring suburbs, the area steadily grew throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with amenities being developed through lobbying by locals. In 1923, a community group from St Martins led by a local bricklayer and trade unionist received support from Christchurch City Council to build a library as a compromise option from the group's original aim of a community hall. The library cost was officially opened in 1927 by mayor John Kendrick Archer, and by the end of that year had 273 subscribers. The library was eventually closed due to earthquake damage following the 2011 earthquake and several houses had been damaged by falling chimneys. [7] [8] Also, a supermarket was left irreparably damaged after the earthquakes and was subsequently demolished and rebuilt. [9] [10]
St Martins covers 1.05 km2 (0.41 sq mi). [11] It had an estimated population of 2,850 as of June 2024, [3] with a population density of 2,714 people per km2.
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
2006 | 2,751 | — |
2013 | 2,652 | −0.52% |
2018 | 2,721 | +0.52% |
Source: [12] |
St Martins had a population of 2,721 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 69 people (2.6%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 30 people (−1.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,107 households, comprising 1,236 males and 1,482 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.83 males per female. The median age was 38.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 552 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 477 (17.5%) aged 15 to 29, 1,248 (45.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 447 (16.4%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 89.7% European/Pākehā, 7.1% Māori, 2.4% Pasifika, 4.9% Asian, and 3.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 23.4, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.7% had no religion, 35.6% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 687 (31.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 303 (14.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 462 people (21.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,104 (50.9%) people were employed full-time, 357 (16.5%) were part-time, and 48 (2.2%) were unemployed. [12]
Saint Martins School is a full primary school, which provides education for years 1 to 8. [13] It has a roll of 505 students. The school opened in 1956. [14]
Hillview Christian School is a state-integrated school for years 1 to 10. [15] It has a roll of 553 students. The school was established in 1977 as St Martin Private School by the Evangelistic Church (now C3 Church Christchurch), and was originally open only to children of members of that church. [16]
Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of August 2024. [17]
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of 415,100, and a metropolitan population of over half a million. It is located in the Canterbury Region, near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains. It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay, and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula. The Avon River (Ōtākoro) winds through the centre of the city, with a large urban park along its banks. With the exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. Christchurch has a reputation for being an English city, with its architectural identity and nickname the 'Garden City' due to similarities with garden cities in England, but also has a historic Māori heritage. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall.
Opawa is an inner residential suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located approximately 3.5 kilometres south-east of the city centre. Prior to European settlement, much of the area consisted of marshlands and mixed-use vegetation. By the 1850s, the area was sparsely populated by settlers and became a dairying locality, with many of the early settlers being farmers and people of English descent. Opawa had little development in its early years as it transitioned into a residential suburb.
Woolston is an industrial and residential suburb of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated 3 kilometres southeast of the city centre, close to major arterial routes including State Highways 74 and 76 to Banks Peninsula. The Heathcote River flows through the suburb.
Addington is a major suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is sited 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) south-west of the city centre.
Cashmere is a suburb which rises above the southern end of the city of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island, on the north side of the Port Hills. It covers an area of 4.71 km2 (1.82 sq mi) and has a population of 6,453 as at 2018.
Originally a separate village, Halswell is now a residential suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) southwest of Cathedral Square on State Highway 75.
Sydenham is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, 2 kilometres south of the city centre, on and around the city's main street, Colombo Street. It is a residential, retail and light industrial suburb.
Avonside is an eastern suburb in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is one of the oldest suburbs of the city, with only Heathcote being older.
Rolleston is the seat and largest town in the Selwyn District, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the Canterbury Plains 22 kilometres (14 mi) south-west of Christchurch, and is part of the wider Christchurch metropolitan area.
Shirley, sometimes referred to as Windsor, is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-east of the city centre. The area was used for farming from the 1850s, and subdivision started in the early 20th century, with most of the houses being built between 1950 and 1980.
Bryndwr is a suburb in the north-west of Christchurch, New Zealand.
St Albans is a large, inner-northern suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located directly north of the Christchurch Central Business District. It is the second largest suburb in the city by population, with a population of 13,137 at the 2018 Census. The suburb falls within the Christchurch Central electorate and is represented by Duncan Webb, who has been the member of parliament since the 2017 general election.
Beckenham is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located three kilometres south of the city centre. The Heathcote River winds through this predominantly residential suburb, a section of which is often referred to locally as the "Beckenham Loop". Beckenham is bounded by Sydenham to the north, Somerfield to the west, Cashmere and Huntsbury to the south and St Martins to the east.
Strowan is an affluent suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located approximately 5 km north-west of Christchurch's central business district. It had a population of 3,705 at the 2013 census. It is located between the suburbs of Merivale, Papanui, Bryndwr, Fendalton, and St Albans.
Avondale is a suburb of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) northeast of the city center, and is close to the Avon River / Ōtākaro, four kilometres to the northwest of its estuary. The suburb is centred on Avondale Road and so named due to its proximity to the Avon River. It has a good sized park on Mervyn Drive called Avondale Park. This park has a kids playground, a tennis court, basketball court, and a football field in winter. There is ample vacant red zone land in Avondale for activities such as leisure and dog walking.
Dallington is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, on the north-east side of the city.
Mount Pleasant (Tauhinukorokio) is a coastal suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. The suburb is located on the northern flank of the mountain Tauhinukorokio/Mount Pleasant in the Port Hills. It takes its name from the English version of the mountain's name.
Aranui is one of the eastern suburbs of Christchurch. It is a low socio-economic area. In its early years, Aranui grew along Pages Road, the suburb's main road. Aranui soon became a working-class suburb. There are also areas of light-industrial premises in Aranui.
Southshore is an eastern coastal suburb within Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located on a narrow 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long sandspit that runs along the eastern side of the Avon Heathcote Estuary and west of the Pacific Ocean. The suburb is 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the city centre and 5 km (3.1 mi) south of New Brighton's main retail area.
North New Brighton is a suburb on the northern side of Christchurch city. It was originally known as North Beach and was readily accessible from Christchurch city by tram. It was renamed North New Brighton in 1953. A large sports centre and swimming pool is on the same locale as the former Queen Elizabeth II Park. The centre was rebuilt and opened in 2018.