Dwellings on motorways

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 14

Dwellings on motorways

Sir, — I regret the delay in replying to the Christchurch Town Clerk. I have been awaiting a copy of the Public Works Act which, like many things required in the South Island, is available only in the North Island. I suggest Mr Gray again read Section 33A of the Town and Country Planning Act, particularly Section 1, which says: (1) Land designated an existing

public work (other than a highway), etc. Obviously our worthy Town Clerk has not the re-print dated January 1, 1973. Also I would refer him to a certain golf course dispute in the northern part of New Zealand. — Yours, A. H. DE JOUX. March 29, 1978. [The Town Clerk, Mr J. H. Gray, replies: “The subsection to which Mr de Joux refers requires that land designated for a public work be zoned. The land which is the subject of his correspondence (known as Forfar Courts) has an underlying zoning of Residential 1. Subsection 5 states that no work may be done on land designated for a public work without the consent of the Minister or local authority. In this instance the Minister of Works gave his consent. Surely it makes sense to use public land surplus to immediate requirements to fill a social need (in this instance housing) in the interim. Three replies have now been given to substantially the same query. I suggest your correspondent get in touch with me if he wishes to pursue the matter. I should add that the Town and Country Planning Act

1977 will soon supersede the act of 1953 quoted in this correspondence. Section 124 substantially re-enacts the same position except that the consent of a Minister of the Crown is no longer specifically required.”]