PLAN FOR THE METROPOLIS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24868, 7 May 1946, Page 4

PLAN FOR THE METROPOLIS

General Approval By City Council

WORK OF COMMITTEE COMMENDED

A resolution recording that the council “finds itself in general agreement with the principles enunciated in the report” was adopted by the Christchurch City Council last evening after it had considered, at a special meeting, the interim report and maps prepared by the Christchurch Metropolitan Planning Committee. The resolution recorded thanks and appreciation of the work of the committee and indicated that points raised in the discussion of the report would be put forward for the committee’s consideration. “You will notice on these maps that no local body boundaries are shown. That is the basis and the spirit in which the whole scheme was formulated,” said Cr. G. D. Griffiths, chairman of the council’s housing and town planning committee, who briefly reviewed the history of town planning in Christchurch. Referring to sections of the report, Cr. Griffiths said one of the most serious aspects of zoning was the provision of areas’ for heavy industries. These formed a necessary part of the life of the city, but unless they were properly zoned they could be a nuisance to the whole com- j munity. Unfortunately, for every one “garden factory” there were 20 which were “just factories.” If all were like seme of the city’s well-known garden factories there would be no objection to their being in residential areas. It, was not feasible, however, for the local authority to insist on large gardens as a part of factories. It was to be noted that residences were allowed in all but the noxious trades and heavy industrial areas. The council considered the interim report page by page. Site of Railway Station Answering a question by Cr. C. D. W. L. Sheppard as to whether the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee had considered' the desirability of having Christchurch’s main railway station at Addington, Cr. J. E. Tait said the transport committee had railway representatives acting on it. It had discussed the question and inspected sites, but the Railway Department had been unable to align its plans to this proposal, and it had been dropped. . , The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews): They say they have gone too far with their present work. Explaining the proposals for new ac-, cess roads, Cr. J. E. Tait said that in addition to those mentioned in the report there were plans for two or three new access roads to the north, including routes via Stterbourne street and, Hills road. “I can assure you that these things have been chewed and chewed to pieces by the various committees," said Cr. Griffiths when Cr. M. E. Lyons suggested there were many things in the report which “wanted more mature consideration than we can give them to-night.” Cr. Griffiths said the metropolitan committee wanted the comments and criticisms of the City Council now, so that when the next report presented the scheme in more or less its final form it would not be necessary to make “big gashes” in it. Disappointment that the metropolitan committee had not recommended the removal of the gas works and had not yet made specific recommendations afeout sea and air communications was expressed by Cr. L. G. Amos; He considered that Moorhouse avenue could be made one of the finest streets in the southern hemisphere. He also urged the consideration of the use of the Estuary as a flying-boat terminal.

Limiting Building Heights Cr. Griffiths, explaining the provisions for limiting building heights to six- and four storeys in defined central areas and to three and two-and-a half storeys in the residential areas, said a special committee which had gone very thoroughly into this question came to .the conclusion that the recommendations of the Standards Institute were a little too severe. It was considered that the committee’s recommendation was fair and equitable to property owners while providing against undue congestion. “They are doing it in Auckland, so we shall see how it works,” said Cr. Lyons when Cr. W. B. Owen suggested that attention should be given to the possibility of providing fast underground train services to the suburbs. At the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor and Cr. Lyons expressed admiration for the work of the committees responsible for preparing the report, and Cr. W. P. Glue said that many of the men on these committees. were among the objectors to Christchurch’s first town planning scheme. “As I have frequently pointed out to them, they have made the new scheme tougher in many respects than the old one,” he added. The metropolitan committee wanted constructive advice and criticism to help it in the final formulation of the scheme.