Increase In Size Urged For Auckland University

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28987, 31 August 1959, Page 16

Increase In Size Urged For Auckland University

"The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, August 29.

The Auckland University Council has been advised by its consultant, Professor R. H. Matthew, a British architect, to increase the size of the Princes street development site. He suggested Alfred street and O’Rorke street should be closed and Grafton road diverted to link with Waterloo quadrant.' '

Symonds street would then become the spine of the university with balanced development on both sides of the street and the size of the site would be increased from 32 to 49 acres. As a possible site for a medical school. Professor Matthew suggested the slopes between Auckland Hospital and the university.

Hostels could be placed in Waterloo / quadrant on the land between Princes street and the Law Courts.

Government House grounds, he said, should not be regarded as sacrosanct and could take some buildings without affecting the amenity as a whole. Professor Matthew said the Princes street site was an excellent one and could take the scheduled accommodation with something to spare. Link to Domain

By placing the medical school an equal distance between Auckland Hospital and the university, and acquiring land in Stanley street at present occupied by commercial and industrial buildings, he envisaged a linking up of the university and the domain. “You have the right scale for your circumstances,” he told the council. “If the university is developed on the lines I have outlined, you will get one of the most outstanding university layouts in the world.”

In his written report to the council, Professor Matthew said the university did not stand or fall

in relation to the diversion o: Grafton road.

“But in view of the great improvement from the university point of view that such an alteration would make, I have explained

the proposal to the city engineer, who will give it his consideration in relation to the city roads system as a whole,” said Professor Matthew. By diverting Grafton road to

make lan inner ring road, the ‘‘steep and unsatisfactory” intersection with Symonds street would be eliminated.

Questioned about the proposed extension of the university up Symonds street and the building of a school of architecture adjacent to the school of fine arts, Professor Matthew agreed that the top of Wynyard street would have to be closed. .

He said he had not inquired about the availability of sites. “I am simply leaving a suggestion with you as one worth pursuing,” he explained. ■ * Mr B. H. Kingston (Auckland City Council representative): “Were you frightened by what you heard of land values in Auckland?”

Professor Matthew: “I was a little frightened but from what I heard I would not say it was impossible.” There was a lot of land in the 495-acre heart of the city that was not fully developed “I cannot help feeling,” he said “that the fear expressed in some quarters that the use of so many acres in a central area may adversely affect commercial development does not sufficiently take into account the fact that many parts of the central area are themselves underdeveloped and might therefore be available for commercial expansion if and when required. “I think too, that it is perhaps not sufficiently appreciated that a well laid out university in the heart of the city can be one of its greatest assets, in a real civic sense.”