TOWN-PLANNING SCHEMES

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28104, 20 October 1956, Page 4

TOWN-PLANNING SCHEMES

Some Areas Said To Be Lagging MINISTER’S LETTER TO HALSWELL COUNCIL The Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) includes the Halswell County Council among local authorities which have done little in the preparation of district planning schemes. “The Town and Country Planning Act came into force on February 1. 1954.” said a circular letter from the Minister read to the council at its meeting this week. “There are, however, some councils which as yet seem to have done very little towards the preparation of a district scheme, and your council appears to stand in this group. You will appreciate that the apparent lack of action in districts gives cause for concern. “Although your council may well have given much thought to individual planning problems, and may indeed have made some progress towards the preparation of a district scheme. I have no information as to any statutory steps in respect of such a scheme having yet been taken by your council. I would, therefore, be pleased to have your advice as to the current planning position in your district,” said Mr Goosman.

The Christchurch office of the Ministry of Works advised that TownPlanning Branch officers of the head office of the ministry would visit the district from October 29 to November 2 for discussions with representatives of local authorities on the Town and Country Planning Act. The council was invited to be represented at a meeing in the City Council Chambers on October 30.

The chairman (Mr J. MacKenzie) said the council’s activities had been confined solely to the metropolitan town-planning scheme, which included the Halswell township.

“We have not altogether been inactive as far as the metropolitan scheme is concerned,” he said, “but the council has not given much attention to a district scheme yet. I rather imagine that there must be many local bodies in New Zealand which must be as hazy about the requirements of the act on district schemes as we are.”

In Halswell, there was some overlapping between the regional scheme and its district scheme, Mr MacKenzie said.

The act laid down that local authorities must produce a preliminary scheme in a certain period, he said. That period had been extended tor 12 months, and they were now in that extended period. Cr. J. H. Williamson: This only concerns the built-up area of the county. The chairman: No. the whole county.