The crossroads of urban planning

Press, 30 July 1982, Page 13

The crossroads of urban planning

STAN DARLING

looks at recent urban issues considered

by regional planners in the second of two articles. The first was published yesterday.

Most urban land-use applications considered by the Canterbury United Council hinge on one question: How will they affect existing traffic problems in busy streets? Zoning changes along such streets are often resisted, but some changes are inevitable. Those changes mean more traffic wanting access to properties. The more traffic that moves in and out of properties, the harder it is for through traffic to use the street Traffic congestion gets w l orse.

Ferry Road is a good example of the problems that such “side friction" can cause along a main road. Any expansion of commercial development, for example, will add to the problem. Intersections are also sensitive areas, especially when they lack adequate traffic controls. The United Council is considering one case on the Riccarton end of the Blenheim overpass near Hagley Park. About three years ago, a

firm specialising in the wrecking and resale of motor-cycles and the sale of spare parts applied for permission to operate in the Lowe Street area, across Blenheim Road from Mandeville Street. Regional planners objected to that proposal, but the Riccarton Borough Council approved it with certain conditions. Now Cycle Salvage wants those conditions revoked. Regional planners say that some of those conditions were not met, anyway, and

their fears about the business becoming a traffic “attention diverter” were realised. Motor-cycles are now displayed on the building's forecourt, and a roof-mounted sign has been placed on the building. In Belfast, an applicant wants to build a takeawayfood bar,' drapery, bank and hairdressing salon beside the Main North Road at Cassidy Place. The Waimairi District site is in a residential zone, and contains two residential lots

that are now used for a drapery and food bar, with a residential front garden in between. According to regional planners, the proposal would replace about 80 sq m of commercial floor space with a building that had more than 300 sq m. There would be 24 car parking spaces on

the site, accessible from the Main North Road. Planners say that just outside the city boundary, between Christchurch and Halswell, a proposed extension to an existing furniture factory in the rural zone could lower the traffic service level in Halswell Road. The factory developed from a timber yard. Other urban issues considered recently are: 1. In Colombo Street, an applicant wants to use an old two-storey house for a ground-floor fashion-garment showroom, with sales and office activities. The house is in a residential zone, and one section back from a commercial “spot zone” at the Bealey Avenue corner. On that property, a minor commercial use is now being replaced by a large showroom and office building. Planners said the application would extend an undesirable use along the east side of Colombo Street, where a commercial strip development problem already exists. 2. In Sumner, an applicant wants to continue using a residentially-zoned building at 35 Nayland Street as a factory. The City Council has refused to rezone the site for commercial uses. Regional planners have opposed other projects in the Sumner shopping centre which may cause traffic problems in side streets. They said the shopping centre was “already developing in the worst possible

manner as far as pedestrian and road safety are concerned.’’ Allowing the factory proposal would extend traffic problems along a side road close to a major intersection. 3. An application to extend a service station in the Main Road, Redcliffs, would reduce the interference of petrol-station vehicles with passing traffic, planners admit. But they say the size of the selling area suggests a level of retail activity that should not be located in a residential zone. Any retail activity exceeding the sale of goods needed for motoring could divert business from other Redcliffs shops which had been established in commercial zones. More traffic could also be generated if the station sold a wide range of products, and increased traffic could offset the benefits of an improved layout of the station. 4. In an urban area of Paparua County, the retail sales and servicing of farm machinery from a Blenheim Road industrial site could be less of a problem from the standpoint of passing traffic. Most vehicle movements would be from nearby Cable Street, and the Blenheim Road median strip prevents right turns into the site. Regional planners say that some sort of screening along the site frontage to make the machinery display area less evident could be acceptable. Workshop traffic could also be directed to use the side' entrance.