Ruling On Riccarton Shopping Centre Plan

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 15

Ruling On Riccarton Shopping Centre Plan

When reserving its decision on the zoning of an area in Riccarton road planned for development as a big shopping centre, the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board yesterday directed the Riccarton Borough Council to advise nearby residential land-owners and occupiers of the scheme and said that if there were no objections it proposed to make an order zoning the land commercial B (1).

The owner of the property on Riccarton road near Matipo street, Ranelagh Holdings, Ltd., appealed against the part residential-part commercial zoning in the council’s district scheme and sought commercial B zoning. The council told the board it was prepared to agree to the appeal, but the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority persisted in its objection that any further commercial zoning in Riccarton road would aggravate traffic problems. Giving the interim decision of the board, the chairman <Mr J. W. Kealy, S.M.) said that all owners and occupiers of residential properties in the block bounded by Riccarton road. Matipo street. Maxwell street and Division street should be notified of the proposal, and that the Riccarton Business Association should also be advised. If no objections were received by the board within a stipulated time and the Riccarton Town Clerk (Mr R. Sarjeant) filed an affidavit

stating that satisfactory working plans and specifications had been prepared, that he was satisfied that the necessary finance was available and that no obstacle existed to the immediate development of the site in general accord with the development scheme put before the board, the board would be prepared to make an order zoning the land commercial B (1), the decision said.

This zoning would be applicable to a commercial B zone, but there would be special conditions that the land would be used solely for commercial purposes, with no industry of any kind permitted; that no nuisance be created, particularly by smoke, smell or noise; that a substation site be provided if necessary; that off-street parking provision of at least 25 feet deep be provided and used as a barrier between all residentially-zoned properties and the commercial buildings, with provision for 180 to 200 cars; and that residents be

safeguarded from night noises caused by servicing trades. There would ba no vehicular exit to Riccarton road, and no buildings closer than 20 feet to that road, the board said. A section and house fronting on to Maxwell street should be purchased by the objecting company, all the titles amalgamated and no future subdivisions of land allowed.

The board fixed April 10 as the closing date for objections to its proposal.