Land to be classified

Press, 26 May 1977, Page 13

Land to be classified

PA Wellington. A land-classification system for urban subdivisional developments is being considered by the Ministry of Works. The Ministry’s water and soil section hopes to produce a national capability classification for urban land.

Initially, standards and requirements for development of different kinds of land — taking into account differences in geography, soil erosion, drainage, and other factors — are intended to act as guidelines. But eventually the measures are exacted to be backed by legislation. The section’s deputy director of planning and technical services (Mr R. K. Howard) said that land stability, erosion, and runoff should be thoroughly assessed with each development, but the section was worried about this sometimes not being done. A capability land classification system was already used for rural developments and “we are thinking we need something of the same type for the urban situation.” Urban subdivisional problems were cropping up in “a large number of places” — apart from Wellington, other areas experiencing difficulties were Hamilton, Nelson, Christchurch, and Greymouth, he said. The idea of the classification is to designate land into about six basic cate-

gories. At one end of the scale the land will be flat with few problems; at the other end, several potential problems and hazards will be present. Chief aspects which will determine classification are: Slope elevation, ground stability, underlying geology, climate, and possible run-off effects. Mr Howard said different development reuqirements would apply to the different categories, and in some cases of the most difficult land, development might have to be banned. At present, there was nothing to prevent local bodies from demanding environment impact reports when major developments were being considered, Mr Howard said. This month, Action for Environment of Wellington proposed to the Commission for the Environment that a system of catchment impact reports be introduced for all hillside subdivision development. The commission will consider the proposal’s merits and has informed the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority of the suggestion.