Planning Authority Approves Rural Zone

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28457, 11 December 1957, Page 10

Planning Authority Approves Rural Zone

A rural zone, comprising the remainder of the region not included in the major and minor builtup areas, was adopted in principle yesterday by the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority. The scheme will be forwarded to the Minister of Works for approval. Within the rural zone, no development which might promote close settlement of an urban character will be permitted.

The area in the rural zone is 73,181 acres, including. 59,363 acres of farm lands, 1332 acres of parks and open spaces and 6050 of vacant scrub and swamp land. The 1764 acres of public and semi-public land include the Christchurch International Airport of about 560 acres, the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Wigram of about 620 acres and the Paparua prison of about 40 acres. The population in the rural area is 9304 of the present total for the metropolitan area of 193,721. The major built-up area comprises the main urbanised part of the region and the minor built-up areas comprise the eight small outlying settlements of Halswell. Prebbleton, Templeton, Belfast. Kainga and Stewarts Gully. Brooklands. Spencerville and Taylor’s Mistake. The estimate of the Authority’s technical advisory committee is that the present rural population of 9304 will rise to 10,296 by 1966, fall to 8704 by 1971 and fall again to 6720 by 1976. Urban Land The land now within the urban, fence is 32,448 acres and the estimates of land required are: 1966. 26,563 acres; 1971, 29.025 acres; 1976, 31,677 acres. A very modest increase over the whole of the future major built-up area in the gross density of persons an acre was recommended by the technical committee. The increase suggested was from 8.11 persons an acre in 1956 to 8.5 persons in 1976. Considering that the increase should be easily attained, the committee gave as its reasons: —the

further subdividing of existing large properties and the’conversion of existing large houses into flats; the infilling that would inevitably take place on some land within the present built-up area not yet built on of used in any way for urban purposes. The opinion that the regional planning scheme should be revised every five and not every 10 years was expressed by the committee in its report. The development of a large urban community required constant consideration as unexpected changes, one way or the other, might occur. Few Changes In the new urban fence there are few changes from the interim urban fence defined in December, 1955, when the land use survey had not been begun and the population census of 1956 had not been taken. More reliable forecasts of land areas, population and densities were now possible.

If the new scheme is approved, Kainga and Stewarts Gully will form part of the rural zone and urban development will not be permitted there in the future. The minor, built-up area of Taylor’s Mistake will be included within the urban fence of the future major built-up area.

Population , increases in the minor built-up areas forecast by the technical committee are: Spencerville, from 140 in 1956 to 307 in 1976; Brooklands, from 343 to 841; Belfast, from 1167 to 2540; Templeton, from 324 to 531; Prebbleton, from 201 to 414; Halswell, from 305 to 1360. The 1956 population of Kainga and Stewarts Gully was 546. The scheme was not being sent to the local authorities at this stage, said the chairman (Mr W. P. Glue). Local bodies would be given four months for consideration after receiving the scheme. In that time, the Authority and the local bodies could agree on changes to the scheme without reference to the Town Planning Appeal Board. The regional scheme became effective when the Appeal Board’s decisions were made and the scheme amended accordingly. Mr J. I. Colligan (Waimairi County) said the councils should have a discussion of the scheme before it was sent to the Minister.

“We have been massacred very much,’* said Mr F. W. Freeman (Heathcote countyQ. “My council has not seen this.”

Ample opportunity was given for discussion, said Mr J. MacKenzie (Halswell county). The Authority could approve of the adoption of the scheme. Delays Criticised

The Minister’s only concern was that the Ministry of Works’ interests in existing and proposed public works were protected, said the chairman. “The scheme is in line with what the Heathcote council would adopt,” said Mr Freeman, after studying the map. “You have followed our residential boundaries.”

“There should be no further delay with the scheme, which is vital for the development of Christchurch,” said Mr G. D. Griffiths (Architects’ Institute). “Waimairi says: ‘Why not delay it another month?’ It means more delay. It has been this delaying action since 1939 which has allowed for bad spots of development around our city. We want that to stop. We want the airport protected. People who own land have the right to know as soon as posible whether they are inside or outside the urban fence. They might have ideas they would like to make a lot of money but they have the right of objection.” On the motion of Mr W. J. Cowles (City Council), the Authority decided that the scheme be forwarded for approval.