“Motorised Apes ” Planning City

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 12

“Motorised Apes ” Planning City

Town planning in Christchurch was ’ roundly criticised by the Christchurch Civic ‘ Trust at its meeting last night. It was described as “behind the time and inadequate ”

Members claimed that there was a large body of public opinion strongly against the master transport plan. “We represent an island of sanity in the middle of a collection of motorised apes not competent to plan the city as our ancestors did,” said

Mr A. C. Brassington. Giving the report of the I trust’s amenities committee. I Mr H. G. Royds said: “Professor Buchanan said, ‘We find it impossible to conceive of a ■ master transport plan being! prepared in isolation from al town plan.’ “Yet this is exactly what the Regional Planning Authority is doing. It is going ahead with the master transport plan with its undesirable features such as the Hagley Park motorway and the Antigua street bridge exactly as it was originally—in spite of ' Professor Buchanan’s report ■to the contrary. i “The whole basis of planning requires drastic revision,” Mr Royds said. “It should aim at a town plan with less emphasis on the movement of thousands of one-person cars, and more on good environment.”

Mr Royds said Christchurch was lagging far behind Wellington which had a draft town plan on these lines.

“The Regional Planning Authority has not been handed the report from Professor Buchanan officially,” said Mr C. C. Steel. Mr C. B. Millar (the regional planning officer) had told him this.

The chairman (Mr J. Oakley) said Mr Millar had told him Professor Buchanan gave him a personal copy of his report, but the authority did not receive one officially from the City Council.

Mr Steel: Therefore he has been able to pretend it doesn't j exist.

Mr Brassington asked how

long Mr Millar had been in Christchurch. Mr Steel said the planning officer had come from Rhodesia and had been in Christchurch eight years. He had been in his position for three years, he thought.

“Not more than three years makes him a new boy—in no offensive way, of course,” commented Mr Brassington. “We are an aggressive fighting organisation,” said Mr Brassington later in the meeting. “We are fighting to save the city as it was built by our forefathers, and we will not be told what to do,” he added.

A positive approach, with ideas on the centre of the city, river precincts, and a Square that was interesting and desirable, was urged by Mr P. J. Beaven. Public statements and informed opinion should be given, he said.

It seemed that the Antigua street bridge scheme and the Rolleston avenue and Park terrace motorways were to go ahead, and the trust was the only voice raised against the proposal, said Mr Bretherton.

Mrs R. France favoured a proper city plan to be placed first, before a transport plan.

Mr Bretherton: Two or three people run the City Council and the rest follow like sheep. Mr Brassington: Is it sheep, or goats?

Mr I. G. B. Wilson said the public did elect the authority through councils which appointed their representatives. But Mr Millar might be in the position of serving two masters—the Planning Authority, the public at large, the master transportation plan.

He suggested the people should elect representatives of the authority and this might need a new Act of Parliament. The trust continued discussion in committee.