Future Of Land Along Loop Line

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 12

Future Of Land Along Loop Line

Although a date has not been fixed for the construction of the Sockburn-Styx railway loop, the Paparua County Council will probably renew its request to the Minister of Railways to have the route defined so that the rest of the land in the railway “corridor” can be released for other uses.

The County Clerk (Mr A. Kelly) said yesterday the council had received from the Minister, through Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P., what was probably the first indication of- Government policy in the many years the council had been trying to discover what would happen to the line. “It is still Government policy to build the railway when conditions are such as to warrant the link line,” said the Minister. “Investigations have shown that the present alignment should be retained. Not only is it the shortest route, but it is not affected by airport runway developments. “The location of Christchurch International Airport is such that any extension of the runways can be made only to the north-west. To divert the railway to the west of the airport sufficient to clear any runway expansion would be completely unrealistic.”

Both the Paparua and Waimairi county councils had suggested that the line should be diverted to the north and west of the airport, rejoining the main line near Weedons, instead of joining at Sockbum.

Mr Kelly said the Minister’s views would be put before the council, and would probably revive the council’s agitation to get a clearance for other users for the railway reserve land. “The railway corridor consists of about 600 acres in Paparua and Waimairi counties,” said Mr Kelly. “About half the land is zoned rural, and the rest, between the main south railway and Yaldhurst, is zoned for railway purposes. “This land includes the 212acre Leslie block in Carmen Road, which the council thinks should be zoned for

residential use. The Government owns all the 600 acres, far more than is necessary for the railway line. Apart from the Carmen Road land, there are other blocks that could be developed for industry, perhaps in association with the railway.” Mr Kelly said the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority wanted all the railway corridor zoned rural, and the council would oppose this in the review of the Christchurch district scheme.

The Waimairi County Council is also interested in the route of the line, as it hopes to develop a special industrial zone along it in the Sawyers Arms Road-Johns Road block.