‘Shocked' by city offer on rental

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32589, 24 April 1971, Page 9

‘Shocked' by city offer on rental

“This shocks me; it is quite unrealistic,” said Cr E. L. Tyndall, when the Christchurch City Council informed the Heathcote County Council on Thursday evening of the rents which it would require for different types of use of City Council land next to the county chambers. The county wants to lease the land as a community centre site.

The City Council said that it had had the 1 acre 33 perches independently valued and a fair rental would be $1350 a year. However, the council's sub-committee had agreed that $lOOO rental would be charged if the land was used for a community centre.

If the land was used for a building of more general use, by a wider public, such as a sports stadium, the council would be prepared to consider a peppercorn rental. Cr Tyndall said that the land was lying waste and would continue to do so if it was not used as the county proposed. "The community centre would be used as much by city people, if not more, as by county residents,” said Cr Tyndall. “This council is prepared to play a wider part In making grants for metropolitan projects, and the City Council could at least make some recognition of this.” The City Council could not dictate to the county as to what it built, Mid the chairman (Mr J. S. Scott). Cr Tyndall Mid that negotiations had been going on over the land since December, 1968. His suggestion was adopted that an urgent meeting on the land be requested with the City Council representatives.