Aidanfield

Aidanfield
Location of Aidanfield within Christchurch
Basic information
Local authority	Christchurch City Council
Electoral ward	Riccarton-Wigram
Date established	2001
Population	2400 (2010)
Surrounds
North	Middleton
Northeast	Hillmorton
Southeast	Halswell
South	Oaklands
Northwest	Wigram

Aidanfield is a new suburb in the south-west of Christchurch, New Zealand, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the city centre. The land, which had been owned by the Good Shepherd Sisters since 1886 now incorporates the Mount Magdala Institute and the St John of God Chapel, which has a Category I heritage listing by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The first residents moved into the suburb in 2002. The developer caused controversy in 2007–2008 by applying to have a group of farm buildings demolished to allow for further subdivision. Christchurch City Council was widely criticised for approving the demolition despite the buildings having had a heritage listing in the Christchurch City Plan.

Aidanfield is located between Halswell Road (State Highway 75), Dunbars Road, the Christchurch Southern Motorway, the Canterbury Agricultural Park (home of the Canterbury A&P Show) and Templetons Road.

The centre of Aidanfield is about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Christchurch city centre.

Father Laurence Ginaty established the Mount Magdala Institute in 1886 to provide a home for women and girls. It developed into an institution caring for women recently released from prison, orphans, and "unruly girls". Numerous buildings were constructed, and at its peak in the 1930s, 500 people lived on the complex. The St John of God Chapel, designed by Sidney and Alfred Luttrell and now listed as a Category I heritage structure by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, was completed in 1912.

The Catholic order owned all the land around Mount Magdala, and decided to develop most of it as a subdivision to provide them with financial support.The Press first reported in mid-2000 on the subdivision plans.

The suburb is named after Mother Aidan Phelan (1858–1958), the Superior at Mount Magdala from 1907 to 1920 and again from 1929 to 1936. Mother Aidan was herself named after the Irish saint Aidan of Lindisfarne. The name Aidanfield was approved on 31 January 2001.