One obstacle less for Merivale village project

Press, 28 February 1986, Page 5

One obstacle less for Merivale village project

Another obstacle has been removed from the path of the developers of the Merivale village project with Christchurch City Council approval of alternative road-widening for Office Road. « The council’s town-plan-ning committee yesterday approved switching provision for future widening of Office Road from its south side to its north.

The 5.3 m strip along the south side, allowed for in the District Scheme, would take land away from the proposed Merivale project By allowing for a strip on the opposite side of the road the developers would be able to

use all of the land. Because the Merivale Mall supermarket is set back 3.5 m from the north side of Office Road, a strip 2.8 m wide could be provided on the north side. The land at present belongs to the owner of the supermarket who has agreed to make it available. If the council ratifies its committee’s decision, the land will be vested In the council as road. The strip of land on the north runs along the supermarket wall, from behind the post office to the entrance to the mall car-park. The village developers plan to build a commer-

cial building, housing shops and a bank, at the corner of Office Road and Papanui Road, as well as a restaurant, 20 townhouses, and a lake and park. The council’s decision ' would allow them to build 3.4 m within the land at present designated for road-widening. As the body responsible for the road widening financially, the council must give its consent. The switch would mean changes to kerbs and footpaths and to trees along the mall car-park. The Merivale Precinct Society has written to the council in support of the idea.