The owners 47 commercial properties in Christchurch's CBD have agreed to sell their land to the Crown to make way for the development of the city's key projects.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says sales contracts have been signed by 27 property owners and agreements have been reached with 20 others.
Mr Brownlee says landowners have been willing to negotiate selling and he's pleased with progress.
In all, the Government wants to buy 350 properties and negotiations are under way on 215 of them.
Mr Brownlee says agreements or contracts are in place for more than half the land needed for the convention centre precinct, one of the city's anchor projects.
He says the design of the Avon River precinct is well underway and locals can soon expect to see tangible evidence of the central city's recovery.
