Church, liquor firm seek access

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 5

Church, liquor firm seek access

An application to use a residential property for access to Bishopscourt and a liquor wholesaler's premises drew four objections when it was heard by a Christchurch City Council planning hearing on Friday. The Church Property Trustees and the New Zealand Farmers Co-operative Association have applied to subdivide a property at 24 Dorset Street for vehicle access to Bishopscourt and the liquor wholesaler at the corner of Victoria Street and Dorset Street. The Farmers has sold the liquor business, trading as Shand's, to Christchurch Wholesale Liquor. Ltd, and has an agreement to sell part of the property at 24 Dorset Street to it as access. This agreement is subject to the subdivision application's being granted.

An old house at 24 Dorset Street, which is zoned Residential 5, was demolished after it was bought by the owner of the commercial property at the corner.

The council's senior town planner, Mr M. J. G. Garland. said that the zone was under considerable pressure from adjoining commercial

areas and that strict policies and ordinances must be enforced if it was to be preserved.

He said that the subdivision would open up the landlocked area of Bishopscourt for residential development, a “use which would further the aims of the zoning provisions." Mr Garland recommended that the application be approved subject to being in accord with 'the plans submitted with it, the two newly created pieces of property being amalgamated with the applicants’ existing lots, and a landscaped buffer strip's being provided between the accessways and the adjacent residentia’l property. If the application is approved. Bishopscourt will gain 262 square metres, and the liquor store will gain 110 square metres.

Representing the Inner City Operation Neighbourhood. the Rev. John Roberts told the hearing that the application sought to legitimise a non-conforming situation as for some time access to the corner site had encroached on the residentially zoned site in Dorset Street.

Mr Roberts said his group was not opposed to access across residential land aiding the development of Bishopscourt, "but we could not support this proposal when it is 'piggy-backing' on an application for access over residential land by a liquor outlet."

If suggestions that Bishopscourt was for sale were true, Mr Roberts said he would urge extreme caution in taking this part of the application into consideration.

The owner of a property one removed from 24 Dorset Street. Mr W. J. Fox, told the hearing that this was an example of a commercial

interest buying a residential property adjoining its own and allowing the residential property to decay, become unattractive, and not feasible for residential use.

Mr Fox said that he would withdraw his objection if a legally binding order provided’for the subdivision to be developed according to a proposal submitted by him relating to fencing and landscaping. The owner of a block of

flats in Dorset Street. Mr M. I G. Weston, said that in 1970 1 the liquor outlet had moved I the fence round its bottle t yard until it encroached into the residential zone of 24 1 Dorset Street. I Mr Weston said he was 1 concerned about the effect I that granting the application I would have on the north side of Dorset Street. i "I believe the owner or ’ lessee of the garage on the ' north side of Dorset Street

would then use that grant as an argument for him to be permitted to realign the boundary between commercial use and the RSA zone on his land, thus virtually taking the two houses at the corner of Dorset and Dublin streets." Mr Weston said.

He reluctantly agreed to support the application subject to six conditions relating to titles, zoning, and development.

Mr and Mrs G. H. Hollobon. residents of the RSA zone, objected to the application while agreeing with the desirability of Mr Fox's proposal. The future of the Dorset Street access if no longer required by the owners of Bishopscourt was one cause

for concern to Mr and Mrs Hollobon, especially in relation to the uncertainty of the site's future. The present condition of 24 Dorset Street and the effect that granting the application would have on the future of the north side of Dorset Street were other concerns. The Hollobons said they did not think the application would have the same merit if a dwelling were on the site. Decision was reserved.