Zoning change for Sydenham land?

Press, 7 August 1982, Page 6

Zoning change for Sydenham land?

By STAN DARLING The Christchurch City Council may move to change a big block of Sydenham land from residential to industrial zoning. Covering about half a block in a Residential 4 zone, the I.7ha site is bounded by Antigua. Disraeli, and Braddon streets. The site's owner is a holding company. Victoria Square Estates, Ltd, which started buying properties in the block in 1973. . In the reviewed district scheme, the site is one which the council has said may be appropriate for certain uses npt permitted in residential zones. . „ ,

;■ About 50 nearby homeqwners have been told of the zoning request by Victoria Square Estates, whose director is Mr B. J. Britten, a former city councillor.

. Some of the propertyowners met councillors and representatives of, the holding company this week in a meeting .chaired by Sir Terence McCombs, the chairman of the council's townpjanning committee. A building supply warehouse and showroom with associated car-parking and landscaping are proposed for the site. The proposal might also include relocation and renovation of houses still on the site. They might be located on a property just south of the proposed industrial zone, in Antigua Street. Mrs Barbara Martindale, an Antigua Street resident who organised this week’s meeting, said that developing the adjacent area as a children's play area had also been suggested by the hold; ing company. She had first heard about the industrial zone proposal last month, when the .City Council outlined it in a letter to residents.

“I always thought it was so large an area of land it must be owned by' the council,” she said. “It was not until a ’For Sale’ sign went up a few mbnths ago that we realised it was not.”

When she bought her ownership flat about six years agb. the entire block north of her had been covered by houses. Now most of the land was cleared.

-' “I realise they are not going to put a belching factory there,” Mrs Martindale said. “But the change of residential zones to industrial is just happening too much. But it is hard to know what the alternative is.

“If we oppose it hnd win. we are faced with the possibility of the land being empty for years and years. It would make a good park, but who would pay the thousands and thousands of dollars they would want for the land? It is too big for a park — we know that."

The holding company was selling the idea of how attractive the industrial use and associated landscaping were, going to be. “I do not want to stand here and fight for a principle that is going to cost the community in the long run." said Mrs Martindale. “I have to look at all aspects. But I still do not like the idea of changing residential land to industrial.”

Mr R. A. Boddington, a spokesman for Victoria Square Estates, said the company was trying to persuade nearby residents that the plan was “the best economically and environmentally" for the neighbourhood. The proposed use would mean another employment zone for the city, and nearby property values would rise because of its influence.

“In 10 years, there has been no genuine inquiry from anyone who wanted to use the land for residential purposes," he said. But there had been inquiries for light commercial and- industrial -uses.

The company had been in touch with council'planners over the years as to what use might be made of the land. Mr Boddington said that a successful 'I industrial use could encourage more residential use of ■ vacant land

elsewhere in the industrial zone.

There would be more confidence in building in the area because of the stable industrial-residential zone boundary. Under the reviewed district scheme, light industrial or commercial service uses may be favourably considered if they lead to “a final and permanent buffer between residential and industrial or commercial uses,” according to the scheme. In such special areas, nonresidential uses and buildings must be located away from houses, with a “high standard of landscaping” along street frontages and facing houses across the zone boundary. New or renovated housing must be included in the development plan, and sited in the area which adjoins existing houses. Any industrial or commercial traffic must be directed away from local residential streets.

Mr- Boddington said there had been no intention to buy up residential property and “pressure” the council to change its zoning when the first six houses under one title were bought in the early 19705.

When those houses had become too costly to maintain or renovate, they had been demolished. Because the first property bought in mid-block had been too small for a comprehensive development that might be acceptable to the council, the remaining properties had been acquired over the years. If the City Council proposed a scheme change, a public hearing on the entire proposal would be held. The development proposal "would have to be of such character that it would not affect people living next door,” said Mr Bruce Alexander, a senior planner with the council. “What, we are aiming at is to define zone boundaries so that there will be certainty. The pressure is always on the zone boundaries.”