RURAL AREA ZONED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28979, 21 August 1959, Page 12

RURAL AREA ZONED

Scheme Plan Issued

A population of 280.000 by 1976 is envisaged by the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority, which has issued its first scheme under the Town and Country Planning Act—a scheme statement and code of ordinances to cover the rural zone.

The scheme, which incorporates the requirements of the Government and the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board’s decisions on appeals by local authorities, will become operative on September 1. The rural zone is of 62,888 acres surrounding the major built-up area of Christchurch and six minor built-up areas. Within the rual zone no development that might promote close settlement of an urban character will be allowed.

Listed among the principles used in defining the zone is that wherever possible there should be excluded from future built-up areas land where drainage conditions are difficult or bad, and land where sewerage will not be available for some time or where it will f be difficult or expensive to provide, and where tiie disposal of sullage is difficult or bad. One of the purposes of the scheme is to guide urban development into localities most suited to it. Another is to include within the rural zone land of high fertility of particular value to farming or of significance in supplying the Christchurch market

In examining population estimates, the scheme envisages a figure of 10.296 for the rural zone in 1966. dropping to 8704 in 1971 and 6720 in 1976.

The scheme lays down safety zoning provisions for flight operations at the Christchurch airport and at the Wigram station of the Royal Zealand Air Force