PRESERVATION OF GOOD LAND

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

PRESERVATION OF GOOD LAND

THREAT FROM GROWTH OF CITY CONSIDERATION BY PLANNING AUTHORITIES “Every endeavour should be made to provide for the growth of the city, its factories, and its residences, on to land that will give the least economic disturbance to the community, * said Cr. M. E. Lyons at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening when the interim report on the metropolitan planning scheme was discussed. “We want to prevent the city spreading out on to our best land.”

Cr. Lyons said that Hutt Valley was a striking example of what should be avoided. There the town had taken possession of land of the kind New Zealand could least afford to let go out of production. It was not sufficiently realised that such land was not plentiful in New Zealand. Cr. G. D. Griffiths, chairman of the council’s housing and town planning committee, said the Metropolitan Planning Committee had gone into this question very closely, particularly with a view to preserving the suitable land in and about Marshland and peaty land in other parts of the district. Christchurch was now at a difficult stage of development and ribbon development was going on in many parts, especially in the counties. It was the task of the authorities to see that these areas were subdivided. In some cases the local body should assist in providing the roads; at present people were asking for sections, but no one was prepared to form the roads. In the subsequent discussion, councillors suggested that urban development should be directed more to the south of the city. The less valuable land along the Little River branch railway line was suggested as one direction for urban development, and Cr. Griffiths said that though this was outside the area covered by the metropolitan scheme it could well be given attention by the regional planning authorities.