Richmond, Christchurch



Richmond is a minor suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand.

Situated to the inner north east of the city centre, the suburb is bounded by Shirley Road to the north, Hills Road to the west, and the Avon River to the south and east.

In 2018, ongoing earthquake repairs and flood mitigation work were causing disruption within Richmond.

Demographics
Richmond covers 1.97 km2. It had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Richmond had a population of 4,311 at the 2018 New Zealand census, unchanged since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 1,095 people (−20.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,815 households, comprising 2,220 males and 2,085 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female, with 618 people (14.3%) aged under 15 years, 1,212 (28.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,995 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 477 (11.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 75.5% European/Pākehā, 12.8% Māori, 4.0% Pasifika, 15.7% Asian, and 3.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 27.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.5% had no religion, 30.7% were Christian, 0.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 3.4% were Hindu, 1.5% were Muslim, 1.0% were Buddhist and 4.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 909 (24.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 546 (14.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 492 people (13.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,019 (54.7%) people were employed full-time, 507 (13.7%) were part-time, and 180 (4.9%) were unemployed.

History


In the early days after Christchurch was established, there was a plan to create a system of canals to facilitate transport into Christchurch from outlying reaches, such as the foot of the Bridle Path, the then main route into Christchurch from the port. Buildings on the Richmond site were first erected in the 1850s, in anticipation of a planned canal linking other planned canals in Linwood and Shirley. The plan for canals was dropped in 1867 after the Lyttelton tunnel was opened. The initial name of the area was Bingsland, after a person named Bing, who had a long lease on church land there. It was later changed to Richmond, named after Richmond Hill in London.

Avebury House is a large two-storeyed building built in 1885 with extensions added in 1907. It is just north of the Avon river and is surrounded by garden-like grounds open to the public. In the early 1970s it was converted for use as a youth hostel. In the late 1990s it survived the threat of demolition to become a community facility.

Education
Jean Seabrook Memorial School is a private coeducational primary school for years 1 to 8. It had a roll of students as of