Planners’ motives questioned

Press, 2 February 1982, Page 6

Planners’ motives questioned

Christchurch city planners were trying to stop the growth of the Merivale shopping centre by restricting car - parking, a planning tribunal hearing was told yesterday. The tribunal, chaired by Judge Skelton, : is hearing several applications in relation to the proposed development of two new car-parking areas at the shopping centre. G.U.S. Properties, Ltd, has been given permission by the Christchurch City Council to use a site at the intersection of Aikmans Road and Akela Street for 24 parking spaces. The Merivale Precinct Society is appealing against the' decision. G.U.S. Properties . is also appealing againstta council decision rejecting an application to use-an area near the intersection of Office Road

and Papanui Road for 101 car-parking spaces. Counsel for G.U.S. Properties (Mr J. R. Milligan) said the provisions of the city’s district schemes had been followed during the development of the Merivale Shopping Mall. As land could be bought from private owners, it was put to use as car-parking areas. But before this could be completed the present review, which included car-, parking restrictions, had been publicly notified. : Mr Milligan said city planning officers had "taken fright” at the unexpected growth of the mall and were trying to prevent its growth by cutting parking. “That is like trying to stop me talking by resolutely strangling my ankle," he said.

G.U.S. Properties considered the development at the mall had been completed. It was now trying to tidy up the traffic confusion in the area, he said. Mr K. G. Daldorf, the general manager of G.U.S. Wholesalers, Ltd, and the chief executive officer of the G.U.S. group of companies, said that parking provision in the Merivale area was “woefully inadequate.” . Very little parking was provided by commercial operators other than his . company. The area was attractive- to shoppers and more people used it than could be catered for in the present off-street parking facilities.

“The least of the problems this causes is congestion in the car-park itself. Beyond that parked cars are to be

found in nearby residential streets in numbers which interfere with the use of the streets,” he said. Mr ■P. T. McCoombs, a traffic engineer, told the hearing that he believed the extension of the present parking areas should be seen as an integral part of the part of local traffic management.

The three mall car-parks provided 343 parking spaces, and the two new car-parks would add a further 125 spaces. As a result of a survey conducted from December 17 to 19, he concluded that Merivale needed between 170 and .250 more off-street parking spaces. A town;planner, Mr D. A. Brice, said the Merivale mall was a valuable public asset. Further parking would allow it to be used efficiently.

The proposed new parking areas could be designed to detract little from nearby houses. The proposal was not an attempt to extend commercial activity at the site, but to correct an imbalance which existed.

Mr Brice said he agreed with the city council that the Office Road car-park would be best used for staff parking, which would be longterm. That- would reduce the amount of traffic and pedestrian congestion on Office Road. It had been estimated that 130 staff members at the mall drove to work by car.

The hearing will continue at 9.30 this morning. Yesterday, seven private citizens and a representative for the St Albans Methodist Church Trustees said they planned to give individual evidence.