TOWN PLANNING

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26179, 1 August 1950, Page 9

TOWN PLANNING

EXHIBITION TO OPEN TODAY The British Council’s town planning exhibition, which will open in the D.I.C. to-day, deals with all aspects of town and country planning in Great Britain, many of which developments could be applied in New Zealand. Diagrams, maps, and photographs are used lavishly to illustrate the various subjects. The topics dealt with include the growth of a town from 1740 to 1939; the machinery of planning; which comprises new towns designed to give ideal working and living conditions, and to relieve overcrowding in large towns; regional planning to maintain satisfactory relationships between towns and industrial areas, countryside and agriculture, and the redevelopment of central areas of existing towns. The problems of war damage are also dealt with. Maps and diagrams show the redevelopment of a central area, including the town as it was, and the proposed outline plan for the town zoning. Floor space index, daylighting, building densities, layout of streets, transport and car parks are dealt with. “At least 20 parking spaces for each 100 feet of shopping frontage should be available in the central area,” says the caption to a diagram. “To enable drivers to park near their destination, a greater number of small parks is preferable to a few large ones.” The essential points in layout of streets are illustrated by * diagram. “The street pattern should achieve diversion of through traffic from the central area; a free flow of traffic; convenient circulation for pedestrians, adequate and well distributed car parks,” it is stated. Street blocks and office blocks, the location of light industries and warehouses, and provision for an administrative and cultural centre are shown. Attention has also been paid to the external appearance of buildings, and photographs show buildings of pleasing appearance. Of particular interest are the plans for Middlesbrough, the city of Manchester, and the county of London. Scale models show the redevelopment of Manchester City Centre, and Harlow new town. The exhibition will be officially opened to-day by the Mayor (Sir Ernest Andrews).