Call for public say in city growth

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 3

Call for public say in city growth

The public should have a say before the Canterbury Regional Planning Authority prepares its report on solutions to population growth in Christchurch, according to some country people.

The finance committee of the Malvern ounty Council (based on Darfield) has recommended i* council not to accept t.ie authority’s “indicative plan,” setting out the guide-lines for the authority to plan for urban growth. The County Clerk (Mr B. W. Perrin) said the committee had in mind Government statements stressing the need tor greater public involvement in planning. It thought it undesirable for the authority to produce its plan in secret, and present it as a fait accompli. It would be muc*- better if the public had a say first. The committee was guided by a report from its townplanning consultant (Mr W. H. Barker). Mr Barker recommended the council to press the

authority first to publish a range of options, or combinations of options, for taking the excess population from the city. “These would include such issues as whether the city should grow out, on the hills, or up 'ards with highrise buildings,” said Mr Perrin. “Proposals for the expansion of small towns, or new ones, should be outlined.” The authority should comment on each of the choices, says Mr Barker. A report

should then be prepared by the authority, and issued free to Government departments, local bodies, various organisations and any person interested. They would be asked for their comments and given, say, six months to produce them. The authority would then collate the replic publish them, and reach a decision on what should be done. Effect could be given to the decisions by chany t o council planning schemes.