Should Christchurch Grow Up Or Out?

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 2

Should Christchurch Grow Up Or Out?

Should Christchurch grow upwards with tall blocks of flats or farther outw’ards, with homes and gardens, to provide more accommodation? Three out of the four speakers who discussed this question at a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women last evening approved the need for both.

In a community like Christchurch, single people, married couples without families and aging couples were probably happier in flats; families were better accommodated in houses with some garden, the majority agreed. The panel, with the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning) presiding, included Miss Nancy Northcroft (regional planner). Miss Mary McLean (a member of the Christchurch City Council), Mr John Hendry (an architect) and Mr A. Williman (a civil engineer).

Miss Northcroft advocated consolidation in Christchurch with a more economic use of land. This could be done without putting up tall flocks of flats, although there was a need for flats for certain sections of the community

By consolidating the city, resources such as drainage, roads, public transport and other services would be conserved and land could be put to better use. Figures for 1956 showed that only 180,000 people occupied 22,000 acres in Christchurch and there were about 10.000 houses in that area, she said. “New Zealand has not become flat-conscious,” said Mr Hendry. “1 suppose it is part of the pioneering spirit and wanting a safe anchorage—our own little quarter-acre of land.”

Mr Hendry said he saw the need for tall blocks of dwelling units for single men and women who worked in the eity and did not want to commute for any distance every day. "Mums and dads.” whose families had grown up leaving them to live alone in a large city house and garden which became burdens as they grew older, were better

off in smaller places or single-storey flats. Such larger homes arid gardens should be available to young people with growing families. These families were now moving further out into the suburbs and many spacious homes in the city area were not being put to full use.

“Young people and young couples without children enjoy living m flats.” he said. “Many people who are growing older also prefer flats.” The way Christchurch wars spreading —encroaching on to the penmeter of the city—useful land was being absorbed by cutting it up into small sections. The land did not produce what it should. Urban spreading also meant costly extension of services.

The model of a scheme to develop a three-acre block between Conference and Salisbury streets was shown to the meeting by Mr Hendry. This model has been submitted to the Christchurch City Council by the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. It included two blocks of three bedroom and single bedroom units, two blocks of terraced houses with garages and a yard for families, and a 16storey block of flats. The dwelling units were set in a park-like area of grass and trees.

“In Christchurch you are putting up places where people can merely doss down,” said Miss Mary McLean. “We want homes—something of our own with space for growing food and keeping a few fowls.”

The family unit was the strength and' foundation of a country, of Western civilisation and of the Christian church. Tall blocks of flats

made people forget about home Jife and their neighbours, she said. Mr Williman said that tall buildings were more expensive than suburban dwellings. Although it was difficult to compare private and public expenditure, it was a fact that people could live for less in a small house further out of town, but this type of dwelling was more costly to the community in the matter of public amenities. With serious problems of traffic and transport facing the community, any scheme that would ease these problems should be regarded very favourably. Mr Williman said.