Objections to Avon Loop reclamation

Press, 4 July 1978, Page 6

Objections to Avon Loop reclamation

About 21 objectors yesterday to’d the Christchurch City Council that it should make no variation tn its planning by-laws for its A'on Loop housing reclamation project in Bangor Street. Most objectors were worried that the nine-unit development proposed “would not look good.’ and would lead to further unwanted changes in the neighbourhood. However, council officers told a special planning hearing that the housing development envisaged would not only make the neighbourhood look better, but might lead to othei improvements by private developers, influenced by such a design concept. “In many cases, the'developer has crammed as many flats on to a single section as the ordinances will allow, in order to get greatest re-' turn on his investment.”: said Mr W. F. Angus, a 1 council architect. “This has. in my opinion, > r ‘suited in monotonous,! unimaginative, and unattrac-| tive development.” Objectors said the council! should either put fewer)

housing units 0.. the site, to' meet strict requirements to

■ set back from the street, or ( ishould acquire more land. ■ But Mr E. E. Waller, the council’s senior property officer, said that the district scheme and planning law recognised that “rigid adherence to inflexible standards may have an adverse effect on some . developments, and thereby the neighbourhood.” The proposed development would cover only 32 per I (cent of the site, instead of ; i the 65 per cent permitted as •of right. It would house 28 ( Persons, instead of the 50 ’•who could be living there. When the council bought i the land about a year ago, it J contained four rundown rent Jed houses. It was then i declared a reclamation area. The project is supported ,by the Avon Loop Planning' I Association. i Mr Angus said the build-! rings were deliberately sited! las proposed to give a good) {street facade and staggered (frontage on 8.-.ngor Street. Mr J. G. Dryden. ?n I assistant principal planner, j said the four former sites • would have been difficult to j redevelop individually. Although some objectors were 'worried that the project! (would bring more renters to I (the Avon Loop, it would

“not change the present 'ontal/ownership balance in

.any significant way,” JjC i said I The council was trying to. i encourage a better design of I apartment units in the area.i That was hard to achieve j through ordinance controls, I i ano the council was trying: |to do it by example.