TOWN PLANNING SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22590, 21 December 1938, Page 12

TOWN PLANNING SCHEME

CONFERENCE IN NEW YEAR

EARLY COMPLETION EXPECTED

PROTRACTED NEGOTIATIONS

A conference aimed at Teaching finality on the city's long-delayed town-planning scheme will be held in Christchurch early in the New Year. After more than two years of negotiations between the town planning authorities of the Government and the Christchurch City Council, it now appears that the remaining differences will be overcome, according to City Council officials, when representatives of the State and the council meet, probably in January.

The adoption of the plan will have far-reaching results in the future lay-out of city residential and industrial areas. Details of its provisions are confidential at the moment and will be until the final plan is prepared. But all other local authorities in the Dominion are vitally interested in the scheme, since it will be the first adopted in the Dominion by any major centre, and thus will probably act as a model plan for other cities and towns. „ ~ . „ The Christchurch City Council has now received advice that the town planning authorities of the Government are willing to meet the council very early in the new year to complete the negotiations, which have been proceeding for at least two years. Just how long has been the delay in coming to finality can be realised from a statement made by the former Mayor of the city, Mr J. W. Beanland, who, on December 8, 1936, said that there was every possibility of finality being reached at "an early date." Mr Beanland said that recent discussions had cleared up most of the differences existing between the council and the town planning authorities. That was more than two years ago, and since then discussion on the outstanding points has brought the council not very much nearer finality, according to officials. Now, however, it is stated that after concessions have been agreed on both sides, finality will certainly be reached in the coming conference.

Terraced Houses The main points which have been in dispute have been the provision of terraced houses and semi-detached nouses, the coverage of land in business areas, and the definition of shopping areas. The council took the line that terraced houses could not be permitted in the city, since they encouraged slum conditions. The board insisted on this provision, but it is reliably stated that a compromise has been arrived at over this impasse, and that now the only outstanding point is the zoning of a certain city main street as an industrial area. At the moment this street, partly occupied by residential homes and partly by industrial, is apparently held by the Government authorities to be industrial, but, it is stated, the council holds that its zoning as an industrial area would adversely affect homes already constructed there. Apparently only this point remains for settlement between the council and the Government.

Negotiations Protracted

Negotiations lor the plan have been long-drawn-out. As early as October, 1938, the Town Planning Board and the council were discussing what was to be done about terraced houses. A conference between representatives of the board and the council was held on October 9, 1936. After what was described as a "friendly conference," no finality was reached. Terraced houses were apparently the main bone of contention then. The negotiations have dragged on since then, and although the appointment in 1937 of Mr J. W. Mawson (as town planning officer attached to the Internal Affairs Department) was welcomed by the civic authorities here, as an indication of likely finality in the city's plan, to date the negotiations have advanced not much further. However, it is considered officially that this coming conference will see the end of the dispute and the coming into force of the city's plan.