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RLB CRANE INDEX®

Q1 2026 NEW ZEALAND CHRISTCHURCH
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RLB CRANE INDEX®

26
-48 (64.86%)

Christchurch’s RLB Crane Index® fell by 65% in Q1 2026, falling from 74 to 26 points. The city now has 8 long-term cranes, down from 23 in the previous edition, with 4 cranes added and 19 removed.

Q1 2026

RLB CRANE INDEX®

CHRISTCHURCH

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Q1 2026

Highlights

Christchurch’s crane count fell to 8 cranes in Q1 2026, down from 23. The large decline was mainly due to the near-completion of One New Zealand Stadium (Te Kaha), Christchurch, where all ten cranes have now been removed.

The total value of building work put in place in 2025 in Canterbury was down 0.8% compared to 2024 (to $5.1b). The number of new Canterbury building consents has risen, up 11.6% in the year ended January 2026 (to 7,398 dwellings).

Overall, four long-term cranes were added to developments in Christchurch, and 19 were removed

Current activity by sector:

  • Civic: Canterbury Museum Redevelopment
  • Health: Christchurch Hospital Waipapa Tower 3 (2 cranes)
  • Hotel: Project Ark (2 cranes)
  • Residential: Student Accommodation, Oxford Terrace (2 cranes)
  • Mixed Use / Other: Corner of Cambridge and Hereford Street

Cranes were removed from:

  • Retail: High Street
  • Mixed Use / Other: Hereford Street; Office Development on Corner of Manchester Street and High Street
  • Recreation: One New Zealand Stadium (Te Kaha)(ten cranes)
  • Residential: Lichfield Street (two cranes); Montreal Street; Kilmore Street
  • Education: University of Otago Christchurch Redevelopment
  • Hotel:  Corner of Cashel Street and Manchester Street

Q1 2026

Summary

Region Change
CHRISTCHURCH -15
Sector Change
AGED CARE N/A
CIVIC 1
CIVIL N/A
COMMERCIAL N/A
DATA CENTRES N/A
EDUCATION -1
HEALTH 0
HOTEL 0
MIXED USE -2
RECREATION -10
RESIDENTIAL -2
RETAIL -1
Increase in number of cranes
Decrease in number of cranes
Crane numbers steady

Q1 2026

Crane Activity

By Region

OPENING / CLOSING COUNT COMPARISON

OPENING COUNT MOVEMENT CLOSING COUNT
Q3 2025 % NET Q1 2026 %
CHRISTCHURCH 23 19.8% 4 -19 -15 8 7.8%

By Sector

OPENING / CLOSING COUNT COMPARISON

OPENING COUNT MOVEMENT CLOSING COUNT
Q3 2025 % NET Q1 2026 %
AGED CARE 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0.0%
CIVIC 0 0.0% 1 0 1 1 12.5%
CIVIL 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0.0%
COMMERCIAL 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0.0%
DATA CENTRES 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0.0%
EDUCATION 1 4.3% 0 -1 -1 0 0.0%
HEALTH 2 8.7% 0 0 0 2 25.0%
HOTEL 2 8.7% 1 -1 0 2 25.0%
MIXED USE 3 13.0% 0 -2 -2 1 12.5%
RECREATION 10 43.5% 0 -10 -10 0 0.0%
RESIDENTIAL 4 17.4% 2 -4 -2 2 25.0%
RETAIL 1 4.3% 0 -1 -1 0 0.0%
TOTAL 23 19.8% 4 -19 -15 8 7.8%

RLB CRANE INDEX®

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