Cashel St car-park extension rejected

Press, 11 December 1982, Page 14

Cashel St car-park extension rejected

The extension for a temoorary North Canterbury Hospital Board staff caroark in Cashel Street has oeen rejected by the Christchurch City Council. A town-planning hearing panel decision on an application to use the car-park for another three years has been re- leased. The car- park, at 32 Cashel Street, is in the special inner-city residential 5A zone. Before the car-park was approved for five years in 1976. the property" had a house divided into three flats. When the original planning approval expired, the council allowed a year's extension which ran out in September. Inner City Operation Neighbourhood and its members objected to any renewal of permission for the temporary car-park. The Hospital Board had argued that its property would become a wasted asset if the extension were not approved, since the Health Department would not grant approval for spending on new residential accommodation at this time. The council said it did not necessarily have to be the Hospital Board that developed the site for housing. The property could be sold as a vacant residential site. The Hospital Board had argued that the removal of nearby clinics, also in Cashel Street, would substantially reduce nonconforming and incompatible land uses in the area, '

Councillors said the removal of those clinics could be a reason for removing the car-park. Fewer cars would need to visit the area. Conference Street The hearing panel allowed a combined residential and office development sought by Duart Holdings, Ltd, for the south-east corner of Montreal Street and Conference Street. A residential 5B zone covers the site, and carparking associated with adjacent commercial uses is allowed in such a zone.

Planning permission was sought because offices are not a permitted use in the zone. Under the development plan, five town house units will be built facing Conference Street, while four office suites will face Montreal Street. Separate access and car-parking will be provided for each use. It could be unrealistic to expect the entire site to be developed in housing, the decision said, "and a mixeduse such as this proposal would establish a permanent commercial - residential boundary."