Application For Bigger Premises Opposed

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31384, 1 June 1967, Page 14

Application For Bigger Premises Opposed

Franchise holders for motor vehicles in the main centres were finding it necessary to establish sub-agencies in the suburbs to give their customers service, the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board was told yesterday. Before the board was an application by Pacific Motors, Ltd., to establish a garage and service station at the corner of Harakeke street and Riccarton road. As part of its business the company proposes to run a sub-agency for the Fiat and Renault franchises in Canterbury and Westland. The applicatitin is opposed by the Riccarton Borough

Council and the Motordrome Service Station. A director of Pacific Motors, Ltd., Mr B. D. Biogg, said that in the Riccarton area the Morris, Holden, and Vauxhall agencies had already established sub-agencies. A previous sitting of the board had authorised the establishment of a garage and service station, but made no provision for carrying on the business of a motor dealer. Mr Biogg said the company’s property now had a

156 ft frontage in Harakeke street and 200 ft in Riccarton road. The company wanted to erect a building of a different design and of larger floor space, and it also wanted to build a wall along part of the frontage of Harakere street and vary the exits there.

A town-planning consultant. Miss N. Northcroft, said there were marked differences between the first and present applications. The effect was to change a proposal for a petrol reselling point with very moderate servicing and repair facilities into a quite substantial commercial enterprise.

The building required had been increased by about 75 per cent. It was also proposed to display cars for sale in the open on the site. Because of the increase in activities it was her opinion that the site was not large enough for the purpose, Miss Northcrbft said. She estimated that the business would require off-street parking on the site for 33 cars for staff and customers, apart from any second-hand cars that might be displayed for sale. It would not be possible to provide this number of offstreet parking spaces on the site.

“In my opinion there should be no extension of commercial development along the Riccarton road frontage, which in this locality should be restricted,” she said. The hearing is continuing.

The board reserved its decision on an earlier application for consent for a specified departure to allow Ford and McDougall, Ltd., to build a service station and repair workshop at 454456 Papanui road.

The application was opposed by the Christchurch • City Council on the ground of i interference to traffic on a I principal road now carrying 115.000 vehicles a day.