Big plans for Barrington

Press, 29 January 1988, Page 4

Big plans for Barrington

A plan to expand the Barrington Park Mall received a mixed response from the Christchurch City Council town planning committee yesterday. The proposal, presented by Government Life, who has a big investment in the area, would double the size of the existing shopping complex, bringing it in line with the Merivale and Shirley shopping areas. The committee, while agreeing in principle with expansion in Barrington, expressed reservations until it had consulted with interested parties, such as neighbourhood groups and the retailing associations. Mr Mike Garland, a consulting planner for Government Life, said the proposal, which would require a change to the District Scheme, needed to be treated in a wider planning context. A retail study of Christchurch had indicated that Barrington was well below its potential and any delay in development would continue to encourage people to shop in Riccarton or Sydenham, he said. The study had shown that there was a vacuum in the south-west of the city and that people were travelling to other areas to shop because they were dissatisfied with the range of local goods and services. The shopping complex needed a larger supermarket and specialty stores, Mr Garland said.

Government Life would like to expand the mall east towards Simeon Street, closing Everand ‘Street and creating access on Athelstan Street. Historically, planning had favoured development to the east and nearly all of the adjoining properties concerned were now owned by either Government Life or G.U.S., Mr Garland said. The development would be able to go ahead soon because of this, he said. A second option, preferred by the traffic engineer, would expand the mall south to Milton Street, closing part of Athelstan Street. The option would require the purchase of 13 residential properties, Mr Garland said. A proposal to opt for a two-storied development on the same ground area was not considered suitable as second-level shopping created access problems for paraplegics and people with young children and had not been successful in Merivale, he said. While Government Life had not made a formal application to the committee it was presenting its proposal as the “first shot,” Mr Garland said. The committee chairman, Mr Rex Arbuckle, said it was refreshing to have the plan aired before a decision had to be reached so consultation could be sought with interested parties. Concern was expressed by £r Ruby Fowler over

the loss of residential properties and the effect it would have on the schools in the community. That the number of residential properties in the area had increased did not convince her that families were not being squeezed out, she said. Cr Dennis Rich questioned the viability of expansion when small retailers elsewhere were facing economic difficulties. The planning study indicated the expansion would take a small percentage of business away from the central city and slightly more from Riccarton and Sydenham. During the meeting the committee also considered a report from the city planner on expansion of suburban commercial centres, including Barrington. In the report the city planner, Mr John Dryden, singled out Barrington as the most logical and best centre to focus future commercial growth in the southern city. The advantages of expanding the centre would outweigh the loss of housing, he said. The committee also agreed the consultation with the community would be desirable in Papanui as well as in Barrington. The city planner recommended expanding the Papanui commercial zone to include all the industrial 1 zone to the north and to include nine residential properties along Sawyers Arms Road. ...