Expressway opinion attacked

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 6

Expressway opinion attacked

The environment, meant more to Avohside residents than "mown='• grass, >: i clean lines, and softened?, contours,” the Avonside-Wood-harri Expressway; Association said ’yesterday/? : : Replying-to, ;are editorial in "The Press” ■ ?6n /the ■' expressway/dispute, the 'association said, protesters objected .to? "the .blight .of designation which affects, the life, of those who live within the designated corridor.” ' Homes would inevitably deteriorate over the next 20 years under that designation. The association/said ."The Press.” was "naive in its .assumption; that- • objections won’t properly consider cost, need, - and. general .property disturbance,: as well as environmental factors.”

The editorial "wrongfully assumes : that, given, a choice, we prefer mobility to stability, or cars to houses?’ It was wrong in' assuming that the preservation-, of Englefield, an old home/ in Fitzgerald Avenue, was the cornerstone to, expressway objections. ; . * The owners' of Englefield would not be appeased by an . expressway going past jtheir-i house,//,instead of through, it, the association said. ’

■ln. addition, the editorial led; readers to believe that a small; colonial house on the comer of Hanmer Street and GUby Street would be saved under expressway plans. But that property was designated

for road widening, "and along with 80 or so others, is to be demolished.” /

The association’s objections on the basis of cost, population projections, loss of inner city housing, transport, and environment would be gathered to fight the plan. - ■ Responding, to the editorial comments/ on the antiexpressway. jstand of the member, of for Christchurch. Central (Mr G. W. R. Palmer), the association said Mr Palmer was "closer to the pulse of the •inner city of Christchurch than, the editor of ‘The Press’.”- ' .. ■ '