COMMERCIAL AREA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29453, 3 March 1961, Page 10

COMMERCIAL AREA

City Zoning Adequate

The area zoned for commercial use in the central business district of Christchurch was. having regard to the very low ratio of occupancy compared with ground space, more than adequate for the foreseeable future commercial development in this part of the city, said the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board in disallowing an appeal by the estate of A. J. Orchard against the City Council's zoning of 22 Latimer square as residential B. The trustees of the estate asked for the property to be zoned as commercial. On its western side, Latimer square was zoned as commercial and formed part of the commercial area of the centre of Christchurch. This zoning was appropriate, the board’s written decision said. The City Council was concerned to arrest commercial sprawl and coniine commercial use to the area already zoned for that purpose. The council had contended that the open space of Latimer square constituted an appropriate demarcation between commercial and residential zones and a suitable barrier to commercial sprawl. “The board agrees with this submission,” it said. “The structure of the buildings, apart from the nature of their occupancy, on the east side of Latimer square is predominantly residential in charcter. The appellants’ property is in a block zoned as residential, and the board considers this zoning to be appropriate.”