Postal centre site "shot duck”

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 14

Postal centre site "shot duck”

The Christchurch Civic Trust will not take any further action regarding protests against the siting of the new postal centre in Hereford Street. But the Environmental Vanguard Organisation has asked for all work on the new centre to be stopped.

The Trust was told last evening in a letter from the Postmaster-General (Mr Douglas) that it would be necessary to completely redesign the centre, incurring considerable delays, should it be resited in Moorhouse Avenue, as had been suggested. “The whole question is a shot duck. We can’t afford! any further delays. What the] present Ministers and theit 1 predecessors have said is true, and we have no right, to press for alternative sit-1 ings which can only result in 1 further delays,” Mr E. T. Beaven said. HEARING SOUGHT However, the Environmental Vanguard Organisation which has sponsored a petition opposing the Hereford Street site, has asked the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) toj have all work stopped on the’ new centre, and to arrange; a hearing of submissions in favour of the alternative! Moorhouse Avenue site. Additional signatures had been collected and there were

: now about 8000 people op- ■ posed to the Hereford Street ■'site, including at least 40 ■ architects and 17 consulting J engineers, the chairman of . the organisation (Dr Helen , Hervey said yesterday. I “The Postmaster - General I (Mr Douglas) was asked by the Prime Minister to exami ine the position in light of lithe petition and other submissions made to him.” Dr I Hervey said. ;i “After consultation, it was J judged that, to build the posI tai centre in Moorhouse Ave-i Inue would involve substan-' i'tial delay. The only reason i given was that the building I I would need substantial redesign if built in Moorhouse Avenue. “Mr Douglas has given no reasons in support of this? claim. According to private' architects and consulting en-i Igineers in Christchurch, the i foundations only of the postal centre would need re-; design, which, they maintain ; could be done in two or three | i months,” she said. “No hearing of the petition has been suggested so: | far. Members of the environ- | mental group sponsoring it; : feel that this is the least i : which could have been ex-I j pected, in view of the size' of the petition and the very ; ' considerable professional ; support it has attracted,” I • said Dr Hervey. ,