TOWN PLANNING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 261, 4 November 1933, Page 6

TOWN PLANNING.

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR REPLY TO MINISTER.

The Auckland branch or the Town Planning Institute, lias issued the following statement concerning the reply given to Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P., by the Minister iu charge of Town Planning in reference to the appointment of a director:—

"The Minister lias correctly stated the legal position, but he does not seem to be aware that the Town Planning Board lias discouraged 'the preparation of statutory schemes pending the preparation of regional schemes, and in fact will not deal with separate schemes until the major proposals are before it. The Minister's reply, therefore, opens up the issue that either the board will now permit separate schemes to be forwarded, even within a metropolitan area, which would be against wise principles of planning, or that optional regional schemes must be prepared which, in the absence of an appointment of a director, is most unlikely, and consequently the statutory schemes are in effect in abeyance, and town planning is not effective, as stated bv the Minister.

"The branch fails to sec how town planning can proceed, failing- the appointment of a suitable person as director, and the many schemes now in preparation are at the stage when the technical assistance and requirements of the director arc essential. Who in his absence is to guide the local authorities on the varied'questions of model by-laws necessary for the scheme, and who is to lay down the question of conformity of basjc requirements of notation, technical" details as to height and bulk of buildings, and so on, and who is to act as the technical adviser to the Town Planning Board on the many vexed questions likely to arise in considering a scheme? •

"Apart from that, the director should organise the whole movement throughout the country, making planning an active force. It is also necessary that every scheme of subdivision under certain sections of the Land Act should be approved by the director, and this approval in the past was slowly improving the standard of subdivisions submitted. On all scores, the appointment is a necessary and urgent one, and this branch considers that the Minister would be well advised to proceed with the selection of a competent man."