Development Of New Town To The West Envisaged

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31615, 28 February 1968, Page 9

Development Of New Town To The West Envisaged

A new town, to grow between Rolleston and West Melton, and have a population of perhaps 150,000, was envisaged in a forecast of urban development for the period ending in 1986 which was adopted yesterday by the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority.

Looking for an estimated 146,000 increase in the city region population to a total of 400,000 by 1986, the authority adopted recommendations for a 4335acre extension to the urban fence, the creation of a 59,000-acre rural zone to limit urban development, and of a 5500acre rural area where development is not expected before 1986.

The plan also provided for a deferred urban area of 4335 acres where urban development is envisaged after 1976, and for a special industrial area of 200 acres at Chaneys for the establishment of industries of a rural character. Tbe major urban extension was proposed for the north-

east block north from Burwood and North Beach, with smaller extensions at Kaiapoi, Hei Hei, Northcote, Bromley and the Port Hills. The report from the director of planning (Mr C. B. Millar) said that to accommodate the 146,000 increase in population, 17,000 acres more land would be needed for urban use. Outside the present urban limits, this meant an extra 8000 acres. “Ideally Suited” Large areas to the west of the city, and outside the authority’s boundary, were

free from restraints to urban development, he said. The West Melton-Rolleston locality could best be developed in the form of a new town, for which it was ideally suited. “Whilst it is not the authority’s responsibility to indicate further, such a new town would be best planned to develop from two or three small settlements. This information is valuable to the council concerned (Paparua) and to the local bodies responsible for services,” Mr Millar said. “Because of the availability not only of new areas adjoining the present urban fence, and other alternatives, there is unlikely to be a need for the new town development to commence in earnest until the second half of the planning period.” The potential development at Rolleston-West Melton could well accommodate 150,000 persons. In addition, Rangiora, which had had a growth rate of 16 per cent in

the last five years, must be expected to absorb a fair proportion of the increase. Mr Millar said that the major area for development within the authority’s boundary lay to the north-east of Christchurch, between North Brighton and Burwood on the south, and Spencerville to the north Other areas lay on the southern outskirts of Kaiapoi, to the west of Hei Hei and at Bromley. Adjustments to the urban fence brought in other minor areas for urban development, and excluded areas that were hard to develop and service. Housing Land Mr Millar said that there were 8000 acres inside the present fence that were not used for urban purposes, but only about 6250 acres could be used for housing. Of this total, 1300 acres was on the hills, and 4950 acres on the flat, though in effect, only 1040 acres on the hills could be developed. The land available inside the present fence could take 62.400 persons, giving a total population of 295,000, compared to the 1966 total of 235,000. Adjoining the Halswell, Belfast and Kaiapoi urban areas were 550 acres, which could house 6100 people. The ultimate population of these areas would be about 14,800, thus giving a total of 308,200 persons housed inside the present urban fence. There was ample land outside the fence for new urban development that would not be in conflict with restraints or the authority’s policy. Mr Millar estimated that 4335 acres of this land could take 43.400 people. He defined these areas as north-east Christchurch (3080 acres), Kaiapoi (330 acres), Hei Hei (245 acres), Bromley (410 acres), the hills (200 acres), and Northcote (70 acres). The north-east land had the potential to become a very desirable living area, with easy access to recreation and employment. It could be expanded towards Chaneys once access and forestry problems had been resolved. Summarising his review, Mr Millar said that on the present urban population of 242,200, with 66,000 to be housed inside the present fence and at Kaiapoi, and 43,000 to be housed in fence extensions, 351,000 people could be accommodated, leaving 50,000 for the RollestonWest Melton development and Rangiora to absorb. Extensions to the urban fence should be made in two stages to ensure orderly development, he suggested. Stage one, by 1976, would comprise 1285 acres in the north-east, Bromley and Kaiapoi, with the rest of the development by 1986. The special rural area of 59,000 acres would limit urban development round the city proper, and at Halswell, Kaiapoi, Belfast, Templeton, Prebbleton, Brooklands and Spencerville, and no land’ could be used for anything but agriculture, afforestation, quarrying or recreation. The 5500-acre rural zone uses would be restricted to residential, commercial or industrial uses associated with agriculture. The authority adopted the proposals for submission to the Minister of Works (Mr Allen) and the local bodies, a period of six months being allowed for objections.