CANAL RESERVE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 151, 28 June 1945, Page 7

CANAL RESERVE

TOWN PLANNING HANDICAP

OTAHUHU COUNCIL'S REQUEST

One of the biggest handicaps facing the Town Planning Committee at Otahuhu is a long, narrow piece of land extending from the Manukau harbour to a reach of the Waitemata harbour, known as the Canal Reserve. It covers an approximate area of eight acres and is two chains wide for its entire length. Some few months ago the Otahuhu Borough Council made representations to the Grown Lands Department to have the reserve vested in the council and a replywas received asking to what use the council proposed to put the area. The outcome of this request was a plan submitted by the borough engineer, Mr. S. Annabell, showing how the land, together with the adjoining property, could be subdivided' to provide building sections. In his report Mr. Annabell stated that the Canal Reserve offered a most formidable barrier to the economic planning of the area more especially from a roading viewpoint because it was impossible to plan any through road without the use of these Crown lands. With the use of the reserve, as well as vacant land adjoining, 123 first-class building sites could be obtained, and in the case of 32 sites on the east side sewerage facilities were already available.

"In this borough, where building lots are almost unobtainable, the matter of adding 123 prospective homes to an area already starved for houses is a pressing one and every effort should be made to have the Canal Reserve released for this purpose," he added. The council this week decided to submit the plan to the Lands Department and to press for the use of the reserve.