Christchurch Zoning Plans Outlined

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31828, 5 November 1968, Page 20

Christchurch Zoning Plans Outlined

The zoning of Christchurch city designed to provide for the rural, residential, commercial and industrial and recreational needs over the next 20 years is laid down in the City Council’s district planning scheme presented to the council last evening.

There are new classifications for all zones—five definitions of residential instead of three in the past, for instance — and the scheme is a review of the zoning provisions which became operative in 1962.

In general the areas have not changed greatly in character, but the scheme makes uses much more clear to the intending developer or purchaser.

Uses in the main have been provided for as predominant uses in zones within which it is considered a need exists. In some cases compatability is secured by imposing special conditions. No uses are now listed as conditional, but where an application cannot meet the conditions imposed for the zone it will be treated as a conditional use.

Church developments, clubrooms, small isolated groups of shops and institutions are all considered to meet a need within residential areas, and therefore should not be required to seek higher-valued Industrial or commercial land, which in many oases might not be appropriately situated in relation to the residents served. Similarly, uses such as service stations are provided for as predominant uses in certain zones subject to special conditions. Density Control Density control has been adopted as a standard for the residential zoning. For the residential 1 zone, which has an area of 9640 acres, and which is largely given over to single family dwellings, there is a density of 30 persons an acre.

Other densities and areas are: Residential 2, 40 persons an acre, 637 acres: zone 3, 60 persons, 896; zone 4, 90 persons, 643; zone 5, 100 persons, 158; zone 6, 100 persons, seven acres.

In establishing the zones provision had been made for a progressive' increase in density from the outer areas of the district to the centre, the scheme statement says.

ting higher density In older areas and encourage maximum use of public services without unnecessary elongation of them by growth of ths outer areas. It would also counteract the effects of building obsolescence and population loss inevitable in the older areas, encourage the amalgamation of titles in inner areas, reduce the number of long journeys to work, provide accommodation for single persons and small families wanting to live close to the city centre and reduce the effect of the loss of population in the inner areas caused by the loss of

residential properties to industry and commerce. The council does not envisage that all sites will be redeveloped during the planning period of 20 years, so the block or zone densities will not reach those given. Areas nearer the centre of the city, with their higher values and greater obsolescence were likely to redevelop first. If this was the case the population decline which had been arrested should revert to a moderate increase. Greater Flexibility Residential 2 and 3 zones have been provided close to

some important district shopping centres and other important community focal points which generate a large number of vehicle and pedestrian trips. High-density zones have also been created where properties front a park or foreshore.

While residential 1 zones will continue to provide for single family dwellings and up to two units on any one site, provision has been made for greater flexibility in the type of development The statement says that about 250 acres of residential development takes place each year, creating about 1000 new lots. At-this rate the area of easily-developed land available will tail off in the next five years. It would be prudent to encourage the development of low-lying land and land on' the hills.

Much of the low-lying land in spite of its disadvantages, was well located in relation to the central business district and the economic advantages of this fact might counter the cost of filling.

The policy of density control would tend to encourage more widespread urban renewal by limiting the density of development, but permit-