Motorway land will be freed for use

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33514, 20 April 1974, Page 3

Motorway land will be freed for use

I/and designated for motorways in the long term is to be freed by the National Roads Board for present use by the owners.

Guidelines have been announced which will allow owners of land or property previously set down for motorways to sell or improve — like any other owner.

dll J UlllCl UHIICI . Local authorities would now be able to build or allow , owners to make alterations, renovations, or reasonable' levels of improvements, including extensions to existing houses, the Minister of Works and Development (Mr Watt) said in a statement, the Press Association reported from Wellington. Portable and other units can now be constructed on such sections under present zoning, and there will be no restrictions provided that they still comply with requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act. Each. case will be treated on merit. The Minister said that guidelines had already been agreed with the Christchurch City Council so that projects could proceed, especially on the line of the proposed Northern Motorway and in the central city area. PRECEDENT Christchurch, by constant representation, is understood to have set a precedent for the rest of the country. “It would of course be necessary for the National Roads Board, in the future, to give the City Council adequate notice of its intention to proceed with the construction of the m.itmway iso that the local authority can make provision for moving the dwellings or tenants into othii suitable accomodation.” the Minister commented. The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G Pickering) said that approval for the guidelines was a major breakthrough which he and his councillors had tried to achieve for some time. Mr Pickering said the new ruling was based on the assumption that land would not be required for 15 to 20 years. It is understood that the Ministry of Works will nowlease land required for motorways to local bodies for building. Allowing owners to make alterations is expected to restore home and property values in many areas, and pride of ownership. I

i The Minister said the board I: felt it was unreasonable to .freeze the use of very valuable land for such a Jong I! period. > The guidelines were J-awn , up by the Associate Town ' Clerk (Mr M. W. Atkinson),

J who for many years was the; o council’s property officer, andi - officers of the local division) g of the Ministry of Works. 1 They were referred to the n Minister, who referred them' i to the National Roads Board; i, for endorsement.