More realistic line on motorway land

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 12

More realistic line on motorway land

Christchurch councillors will try to take a more realistic line on motorway designations that drag on year after year without the properties being purchased. On Monday evening, they •called for a review of such (properties which would iptrmit them to be more fully fused until they were needed. I They also wanted a policy lon buying designated properties on hardship grounds. Ihe Government will be i tolc that its loans crackdown jis naking it even harder to (purffiase the land. “If these people want to I sell, the council should be in ■ a pcsition to buy their i properties.” said Sir Robert i Macfatlane. I Cr J. F. Bum said that ; designations should not be lifted even if land use were ' liberalised. It could be “quite; a tragedy in the long run” when he property was needed.

He said it would be an “appalling situation” if the land could not be purchased because it had no designation. The housing and property committee chairman (Cr B. J. Britten) said there were several alternatives. Motorway programming could be rescheduled. and building permits could be allowed on' properties which would not! be required for 10 to 20 years.'

He suggested that special lower rating could be applied to motorwav land. Cr Mollie Clark said that — even though such properties had a guaranteed buyer in the Government —it w’as really only a long-term option. "People are fobbed off while it is hanging over their heads." sh# said. “I think the onus is on local authorities and the Government to relieve the burden.”