Plea for earlier rural planning

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32633, 15 June 1971, Page 2

Plea for earlier rural planning

(New Zealand Press Association)

ROTORUA, June 14.

County clerks and engineers from all over New Zealand were told today by the president of the Counties’ Association (Mr W. Baird) that planning for rural areas adjacent to cities and large municipalities should be completed as soon as possible.

Mr Baird, who was opening the annual conferences of the County Clerks’ Institute and the County Engineers’ Institute, said the administration of the Town and Country Planning Act became more important and exacting as counties progressed. "There are many persons, organisations, and even local authorities who advocate extensions to the present legislative powers in planning to make regional planning schemes compulsory. "This can be avoided if adjacent local authorities are willing to co-operate and combine under the powers in . the present act,” he said. "If and when regional planning schemes do become universal, and in some instances it is admitted they are desirable now, it cannot be over-emphasised that regional schemes must be confined to regional matters and local matters left strictly to be dealt with in district schemes.” ,

Mr Baird said one of the most vexed problems which counties faced was that of limitation or control of all rural subdivision, to keep

valuable productive lands for proper agricultural and rural pursuits. “This has' shown that a limitation as to size has not proved successful, particularly as applied to land adjacent to built-up areas; and despite genuine attempts to make limitations in this manner by town planning, ordinance and zoning schemes, no ideal answer has been forthcoming. “Recently, at least one county has evolved an answer to this question which could, it is considered, go a long way towards success. “It has made an ordinance which does not detail any maximum or minimum area, but controls subdivision entirely on the basis of use,” said Mr Baird.

He also told the delegates to think very seriously before increasing rates. “This year has seen a great escalation of costs in every field of county government, including salaries, wages and general costs in relation to goods and services. “Therefore, there is a real challenge in your efforts to make the best possible use of the revenue that is available to you. I am sure that with the uncertain position our farmer ratepayers find themselves in we ail have to think very seriously before we consider putting additional rates on,” he said.

Any savings that could be made should be reflected in better reading, which was the main consideration of counties. .