Council Refusal Of Funeral Chapel Site Upheld

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 14

Council Refusal Of Funeral Chapel Site Upheld

Differences of opinion on whether undertakers' premises should be located in residential or commercial areas were revealed at a hearing before the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board yesterday. Mr M. C. Pearson appealed against a Waimairi County Council refusal to let him build a funeral chapel and mortuary on about two acres and a half of land at 391 Harewood Road, in a residential A zone.

After bearing submissions, the chairman (Mr J. W. Kealy, S.M.) said the appeal would be disallowed. It was a pity that the council had not made specific provision for such businesses. A similar application, further

out in a rural zone, might well receive, favourable consideration. Mr J. H. M. Dawson appeared for Mr Pearson and Mr J. E. Ryan for the council. Messrs L. G. Holder and K. S. Hadfield appeared for objecting residents.

The appeal stood or fell on the test of publie interest, said Mr Dawson. The funeral parlour would meet a community need caused by the growth of Christchurch. Funerals should not have to travel sueh a distance to the Waimairi Cemetery or the crematorium at Johns Road. When Mr Dawson said the trend was to have funeral parlours in residential areas, the chairman interrupted him.

“I can recall no ease where this board has givep consent, but many where we have refused,” he said. £• Mr Pearson, managing director of Gulliver ahd Tyler, Ltd, ' undertakers, Rangiora, said he owned the land at Harewood Road. attractive premises could be built there with no detriment to the surroundings. "I believe that only a residential district can provide** suitable site,” said Mr Pearson. '<

Mr Kealy: The board has always regarded this type sA activity as commercial Ninety per cent of these businesses are in commercial areas.

“They are old-established businesses, and that was before town planning," said Mr Pearson. He enlarged on traffic problems caused by having funeral parlours in the city centre. “This type of business is not suited alongside commercial premises. The biggest firm in New Zealand, Lamb and Hayward’s, is making moves to get out of the centre of Christchurch,” said Mr Pearson, referring to the firm’s plans to open premises at Wairakei Road.

To Mr Holder. Mr Pearson said he had made no direct approach to neighbouring residents to get their feelings. The Bishopdale Merchants’ Association did not want the parlour at Bishopdale.

The council’s town planning officer, Mr R. M. Parker, told Mr Dawson that be thought the site was suitable for the proposal. He was aware that the county chairman (Mr D. B. Rich) and the chairman of the town planning committee (Cr R. C. Neville) had asked that their votes be recorded against the council's decision.

It must be in the public interest to cut out funeral corteges travelling from the city, said Mr Parker, and it would be preferable to have funeral chapels near to cemeteries and crematoria.

When Mr Holder supported this view, Mr Kealy said that many people attended services at a central chapel but did not travel to the cemetery or crematorium.

Objections that the premises would be depressing, are unwarranted commercial use and would create a traffic hazard were made by nearby residents, Mesrs R. J. Kingston, D. G. Carnegie, F. E. Uhr, A. H. Orchard, and Mesdames J. Bray and A. Broughton.