Gentrification of the inner city: The case of Christchurch prior to the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011

Abstract

Prior to the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, parts of the inner city of Christchurch, New Zealand were undergoing, what was seen by many, as successful revitalisation. This process had some of the commonly observed features of gentrification, but other characteristics were absent or of minor significance. This paper reviews the gentrification literature and using a mixture of document reviews, observation and interviews seeks to ascertain which aspects of gentrification were most important to this Christchurch case study.