Appeal over building decision

Press, 10 December 1982, Page 6

Appeal over building decision

The Christchurch City Council will appeal against a Planning Tribunal decision that would allow two buildings to block most of the sunlight from the City Mall during some months. Special building “recession planes” were opposed by two property owners on the north side of the mall because such restrictions would reduce the height of their proposed building projects. The building restriction was included in the reviewed district scheme to guarantee

a certain amount of sunlight admission to the City Mall during all times of the year. In its decision, the tribunal said that the provision was there to protect a public work, and compensation should be paid to property owners affected by it. Mr W. T. Williams, the city planner, told the town-plan-ing committee yesterday that the decision “raises the whole question of being able to plan.without paying compensation.” Even normal recession

planes were designed to protect streets, which were public works. "We think the decision was not thoroughly thought out,” said Mr Williams. The city solicitor had advised the council to appeal, and an appeal notice should be lodged with the High Court,, said the committee. Post Office The North New Brighton Post Office in Bowhill Road should be retained in support

of the council’s policy of encouraging the health of local shopping centres, the committee said. After the recent armed robbery, the second in a year, Post Office officials had said that they were considering whether the building’s security problems should keep it from reopening. Security precautions should be taken, councillors said, and the post office should stay. It served an important local need.