WOOLSTON ZONING

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 11

WOOLSTON ZONING

Industrial Use

Sought

The city council "practically inferred” in its replies to certain objections to city zoning that it was committed to following the views of the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority, rather than hearing an objection •on its merits, Mr A. D. Holland said at the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board hearing yesterday. Appearing for Mr D. A. Gunn, who appealed for the rezoning for industrial use of a property on the north side of Ferry road at Ferrymead which the council had zoned as rural, Mr Holland claimed that while the heading to section 4 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1953, seemed to indicate that the council was bound to follow the decisio-'s of the planning authority, the text of the section could be interpreted otherwise. The chairman of the appeal board (Mr F. F. Reid. S.M.), supported this contention. (Section 4 of the act is entitled: “Obligation to conform to regional planning scheme.”) Mr Reid said that section 4 had not been queried before, probably because there was nowhere else where a district plan had reached the same stage as in Christchurch. The Christchurch City Council apparently took the view that it was bound by the Regional Planning Authority, said Mr Reid, yet if council members thought the planning authority wrong they had a plain duty to appeal against the authority’s views. In the case before the board, however, the inference was to be drawn that the council was in accord with the authority Five cases came before the board yesterday, all concerning land in the Ferrymead area which the owners wanted zoned as industrial instead of rural. ’ The other four applications were from Fletcher Humphreys and Company. Ltd., and the G. Humphreys Estate (both represented by Mr W Young), and from P. C. Munro and others and Ballins Industries Ltd. (for both of which Mr R. L. Wylie appeared). P. C. Munro and others were owners of a 60acre block* bounded by Ferry road and the Heathcote river, while the other four appellants each owned smaller parcels of land on the opposite side of Ferry road. In each case the board reserved its decision. Mr W. R. Lascelles appeared for the city council, and Mr A. C. Perry appeared for the Regional Planning Authority The deputy-regional planner (Mr D. J. Edmondson) was called as a wi’ness by Mr Perry Answering a suggestion that the Ferrymead land might be strategically placed for industrial use. Mr Edmondson said that land set aside for industrial uses in the Woolston district had been increased from 200 to 360 acres when it became apparent that the tunnel road would be approved.