Canterbury Rugby Football Union is asking Christchurch residents about their preferences for a stadium in the city, as it continues to use AMI Stadium, pictured here hosting its first rugby test in June 2012.

Canterbury rugby bosses are about to find out if Christchurch residents want a new stadium.

The Canterbury Rugby Football Union has commissioned a research company to canvass residents on their views about a new stadium for the city.

There has been much debate in Christchurch over whether the city needs a stadium, but no-one actually knew what residents wanted, Canterbury Rugby Football Union chief executive Hamish Riach said.

"It became clear to us, during the year, that a lot of people think they know, but no-one knows. I don't know. Everyone you talk to has got a view."

Riach said he could go to a rugby club or talk to tourism and hospitality groups and there would be lots support for a stadium, but reading letters to the editor it appeared others did not share that enthusiasm.

"We want to get a deeper understanding of the community's views. We said to ourselves, the sensible step to take was to get the research done."

The Government has identified a $470 million stadium as an anchor project for Christchurch. The stadium was originally expected to be completed in 2017, but the Christchurch City Council, which would be contributing around $253m of the cost, has extended the timeframe to 2021.

More doubt on the viability of the stadium and other anchor projects surfaced on Monday when a Treasury report stated the central city recovery plan was "unachievable".

Riach said at some point Christchurch was going to have to deal with the stadium issue.

"There needs to be a decision made around the long term future."

He would not say how many people were being surveyed, or talk about the detail of the research, however, Stuff understands participants were asked if they wanted a new stadium and who should pay for it, central or local government.

They were asked if the stadium should be in the central city, at Lancaster Park or at the existing temporary AMI Stadium. They were also asked about its capacity, if it should be uncovered, have a static or retractable roof and if they wanted offices, apartments or even a hotel incorporated into it.

The union has publicly stated its support for a new stadium, which Riach said was an asset cities of any status across the world possessed.

"It's not an extreme idea. We had one before the earthquake."

Canterbury rugby has been based at the temporary, 15,000-seat AMI Stadium in Addington since 2012, but Riach said this was only ever meant to be a temporary base.

When asked if the council or Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority should be doing the survey instead of the union, Riach said it was a moot point.

The union had not given a "huge amount of thought" to whether it would publicly release the findings, Riach said.

He was hoping to receive some preliminary results in the next few weeks, but was not expecting to get a full analysis until the New Year.