Canterbury Regional Council is proposing zoning land on the outskirts of Christchurch for 20,000 new houses to be built.
It wants to expand the urban limits for Kaiapoi and Woodend to the north and Rolleston to the south.
Council chairman Sir Kerry Burke says the plan takes Christchurch's projected growth into account and allocates the most suitable land for houses.
However, Lincoln University professor of transport studiesChris Kissling says the council should plan a sound public transport system for the areas before building houses there.
But Hugh Pavelitch, a property developer and researcher, says the council needs to free up land closer to the city to reduce what he says are "grossly overvalued" housing prices in the region.
Submissions on the proposal close at the end of October.
[audio"http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/mnr/2008/08/25/canterbury_expands]hear more on Morning Report
