Northcote Residents Oppose Garage Plan

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 8

Northcote Residents Oppose Garage Plan

An application by Kiwi Developments, Ltd. (Mr D. J. Clark), for a specified departure from the Christchurch City Council district planning scheme to allow the erection of a garage and service station at 73 Northcote road was heard by the council’s district scheme panel. The panel will make a recommendation to the council’s town planning committee before the application goes before the council.

The panel comprised Cr. W. P. Glue (chairman), Cr. G. D. Hattaway, and Cr. N. G. Pickering. Mr Clark submitted that the nearest service station to the proposed one in Northcote road was four-fifths of a mile away and the area was on the verge of becoming a densely populated residential locality. It was in the interests of the community to have

a service station off main traffic routes. He said the site of the proposed garage covered more than half an acre. Nearby residents’ interests would be protected by landscaping, recessed building line and facilities for off-street parking. Errol Robert Buttolph, representing the Atlantic Union Oil Company, of which the applicant company is a wholly owned subsidiary, said in evidence that it was not proposed to do panel-beating or spray-painting on the premises. The garage would be used for minor repair work and servicing and ultimately for the sale of petrol. Mr K. J. McMenamin, appearing for Messrs J. Tolan, G. S. Maslin and other objectors to the application, . said the company had failed to establish a need for the service station. On traffic grounds, it would be difficult to find a more unsuitable site in Christchurch.

George Stephen Maslin, of 142 Vagues road, said 11 persons had signed a petition objecting to the service station. They could see no need for it in the area. “The application states that the site is now located on an intersection. In my view this statement is erroneous. The site is directly opposite Uxbridge' street, which forms a T intersection with Northcote road, and is only two doors away from the intersection of Vagues road and Northcote road. Further, more, almost immediately adjoining the latter intersection is a railway crossing,’ ’the witness said. Mr G. S. Brockett appearing for Charles Mclver, another objector, said the council should oppose the application. No urgency had been shown for the service station and no unsatisfied demand had been proved. Malcolm Douglass, regional traffic engineer for the Regional Planning Authority, said the site was considered unsatisfactory for a service station on what was proposed as a major urban expressway leading from the Bishopdale area by way of Greers road and a new route to the northern motorway interchange near Winters road.

He said that in the long term it was proposed that provision be made for the construction of an overbridge across the railway line and it would span beyond the eastern limits of this property.