More land wanted for airport use

Press, 1 June 1977, Page 2

More land wanted for airport use

The Paparua County Coun-p til’s town-planning hearings! committee was told yesterday by counsel for an ob-' jector that the matter before it — a proposed fifth change to its district scheme — was beyond the power of the council as a planning authority. The committee was hearing evidence about land adjacent to Christchurch Airpor; which the Christchurch City Council wants designated for "airoort purposes ” Mr J. A. Ince, a City Council design engineer, said that land belonging to one of the objectors, W. W. and E. M. Thornton, was vital to the extension of the northeastern runway, and that owned by Harewood Piggeries. Ltd, was needed for the future extension of Orchard Road, the perimeter road and the layout of internal roads. In a submission which consisted solely of legal argument, Mr J. C. De Goldi, for Harewood Piggeries. Ltd, told the committee that on the basis of a judgment against the Manukau City Council on a similar matter, the council was not able to designate this land for airport purposes. On the basis of another rase which was now before the courts, he said the council was at least being premature, and the hearing: should be adioumed pending; a decision in that case. Mrs H. C. Hodgson, for the City Council, said the purpose of this application was not for airport protection, as in the case of Manukau, where there was a problem of residential encoachment. and therefore that Judgment did not apply. The chairman (Mr J. Y. i Pethig) allowed the hearing i to continue. The City Council’s townnlannfng officer (Mr D. D. i Hinman) said the airport p authority had recently ac-ii quired more land and the!

jcouncil. as the local authority '.responsible for the airport, iwanted adjacent land to be idesignated this way to pro'tect it. He said that although the scheme change necessarily invited objections, his understanding of the relevant act was that the council had no power to allow objections and refuse the requirement. He therefore proposed that, provided the City Council could show that the designation was justified, the committee sb - ild allow the change, a. not oppose it should there be an appeal. Mr R. C. Buchanan, the airport’s director, said Christchurch Airport was an alternate airport for all overseas fl! unable to land at Auckland, and as such had to keep pace with the growth of Auckland. Auckland had a runway of: 3291 m which was suitable] for all known aircraft on the civil register. Christchurch, however, had a runway of 2442 m which could handle the large aircraft, but was not long enough for fully laden planes to take off as prescribed by the safety regulations of the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport. Mr Ince outlined the plan for the north-eastern runway. and showed how there would be changes to Hare- : wood Road, and how the would fit in with the South Island Main Trunk railway line’s Sock-bum-Styx deviation. Mr L. J. Turner, for W. W. and E. M. Thornton, said that if the change were approved, his client would have to deal with the authority, "a body unsympathetic to his needs with regard to certain aspects Of the efficient and economic management of his farm.” He said that with the present economic restrictions, development of the airport as I outlined would stay in the I planning stage "for some considerable time.”