Call to change designation of Woolston land

Press, 12 April 1980, Page 11

Call to change designation of Woolston land

Removing designations for a high school. and intermediate school in Woolston does not mean those schools will never he needed, a Department of Education spokesman has said. The Christchurch City Council has been asked to uplift a long-time, districtscheme designation for the schools on land on both sides of Charlesworth Street, between Ferry Road and Linwood Avenue.

That request, by the Ministrv of Works and Development, was received by the council’s townplanning committee. A Ministry letter said the land was no longer required by the Education Department. The committee’s chairm a n (Sir Terence McCombs) said he assumed the reason was a reduction in the number of potential pupils such schools could expect. Sir Terence said the council had no option: “If they don’t want the designation, it comes off.” The large area of un= developed land west of the Estuary is generally known as the Hammond block, and a large Housing Corporation subdivision is

planned there, along wjth private land for other housing and a large recreation reserve.

Plans call for diverting Charlesworth Street round the school sites, which would have been next to the reserve. The Hammond block is to be a showcase of comprehensive planning, with local reserves and special provision for pedestrian and cycle crossings in the area between St Johns Road and the Estuary.

The Department of Education’s regional executive officer. (Mr P. A. Maynard) said the request to uplift the designation did not mean the schools would never be needed. “There is no such thing as never.” he said. “But in the next seven or eight years, it is most unlikely we W’ill'need the land because of the .-substantial drop in school rolls.” It was still possible for the department to obtain land in ■ the same areawithout a council designation. he said.

“We don’t need the privately owned land, put it that way,” Mr Maynard said. “There may be Housing Corporation land available, perhaps at a more favourable price.”