BIG PROJECT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 8

BIG PROJECT.

BLOCK OF FLATS. GOVERNMENT PLAN. SITE NEAR GRAFTON BRIDGE. OBJECTIONS BT RESIDENTS. The Government'* latest housing scheme in Auckland involves the erection of a huge block of 77 flats on a property of two and three-quarter acree adjacent to Grafton Bridge. The sketch plan, which was submitted to a meeting of the town planning committee of the Auckland City Council this afternoon, showed that it was proposed to erect the building with nn entrance from Ligar Place, the approach being beneath the Grafton | Bridge. On the line between Ligar Place | and Beckham Place the structure would bp four-storeyed, and approximately a storey and a half above the level of the Grafton Bridjre. To suit the configuration of the land, and the slope into Grafton Gully, a T-shaped Mock i« proposed, rising at its '.>ack boundary in thr- gully to seven or eight storeys. A sccond entrance from Beckham Place to the flats is also pro]>osed. Offered to Conncil. The site is owned by Misses A. M. White and V. K. White, of Kotoi'ua. The property came into their family about sixty year* ago, and was kno»;n as "Dingle Dell." Some years ago a portion of the property wa« acquired by the Auckland City Council, in conjunction with strips of adjoining properties in order to preserve the bush area, which is such a picturesque feature of Grafton Gully. It is understood that at that time the whole of the Misses White's property was offered to the Auckland City Council for a sum of £3000. On it is a large area of light btwh. and several imposing Norfolk Island pities, one of the trees being an outstanding landmark, and well known in the locality. It was stated this morning that residents in Bcckham Place had already Miliscribed £500 in the hoj>e that a fund of suflicient size could be raised to buy ■ the property and save it from lieing made the site of a modern building. Four residents there each offered to give £100. i ft wa« not known at the moment the total sum that would Iks required, but • it was believed that public subscrip- ' tionn would be forthcoming.

Schema Condemned. "We think that the whole scheme is deplorable," said one of the residents of Beckham Place this morning. In the foreground of this resident's home was Grafton Gully with its wealth of ferns and green foliage, and towards the north there was an unobstructed view of the harbour and the gulf beyond. The resident pointed out that were eightstoreyed flats built on the proposed site the whole of the water view would be shut out for all the residents in Beckham Place. .She said that they felt the matter very keenly, and that there had l>een a unanimous response to the appeal which had been launched to raise a fund to save the property, which she claimed could be converted into an ideal park area, in view of the light bush that was there. Another Beckham Place resident, condemned the proposal as "a dreadful idea." which would completely spoil Grafton Gully, so long regarded as one of the main scenic assets of Auckland. A Grafton resident, who had seen the sketch plan of the proposed building, said that it could in no way conform with an ornate bridge or the beautiful surroundings. He said that the proposed building was evidently to be T-shaped, varying in height to as high as eight storeys, and it was evidently intended to house a colony of about four hundred people. Originally the property was about five acre* in extent, and was the site of one of the oldest homes in Auckland. SrrongMt Appeal. The Grafton resident added that he considered the citizens of Auckland Mould be much perturbed when they know of the proposal, and that the strongest appeal would be made to the Auckland City Council to join issue in an endeavour to atop the building proposal. It wm difficult, he said, to visualise the complete scheme from a sketch plan, but it waa evident that both view and locality were going to be ruincti. Another point brought forward was the |»osition that would arise were it considered necessary in fiiture to duplicate (Jrafton Bridge. It was pointed out that traffic congestion on the bridge v.-as admitted, that it had been officially stated that the bridge could not be widened, and that a twin bridge had been suggested as a solution of a growing traffic problem. Tli® proposed flats would be almost on the line for any ■new bridge on th« upper side of the 1 present- ctiaetaw.