TOWN PLANNING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 60, 8 September 1938, Page 14

TOWN PLANNING

PRINCIPLE ADOPTED

EXTRA-URBAN SCHEMES

BOROUGH AMENITIES

Gratification was expressed by the -Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) when addressing the Town Planning Board yesterday, that "four borough councils had decided to prepare schemes for their districts and that substantial progress was being irfade in the preparation of a number of other schemes which had had to be put on one side during the preparation of the national housing survey, owing to the shortage of technical staff. It was pleasing, he said, to know that-'every architect, engineer, and surveyor in the country was now ■fully and profitably employed. One could not help regretting the opportunity which was lost by the local authorities to make use of the technical knowledge and ability of those professional men during the depression years, whan so many of them were literally doing pick-and-shovel work on employment schemes. RECREATION FACILITIES.

The Minister expressed the opinion that the great majority of towns in New Zealand were deplorably deficient in recreation facilities. The proper place for such provision to be made was in a town-planning scheme, where they could be related to the density and distribution of population in such a way as to serve the maximum of efficiency. As a rule, that , involved looking ahead and selecting land suitable for recreation purposes in advance of building development. A great deal of that land may have very little more than'agricultural value, and the compensation to be paid for its sterilisation under a town-planning scheme may be almost negligible. There was no obligation on the council to acquire the land within any given time, and the owner could continue to use it for agricultural or similar purposes until it was taken under the Public Works Act. The scheduling of land for new streets, even though it possessed a high building value, did not necessarily mean that compensation would have to be paid unless the council wished to construct the street in advance of normal building development. There was a statutory obligation on every property owner subdividing land for building purposes to dedicate land for street purposes without compensation. The scheme merely directed where those streets had to be laid off by,->the owner if and when he ''elected to subdivide the land for building purposes. GOVERNMENT'S POLICY.

' Regarding the activity taking place in the preparation of extra-urban -planning schemes, the Minister said it was the policy of the Government to promote in every * possible way the rural amenities of the Dominion by the protection of native bush, the acquisition, of reserves . for scenic and other purposes, the c afforestation or ' reafforestation of "sub-marginal lands, roadside beautification, and, the planting of trees whenever and wherever that could be done with economy, safety, and aesthetic effect. "In this policy," continued Mr. Parry, "I am glad to say the Government has the active sympathy and support, riot "only of the local authorities throughout the country, but of., numerous and

'^enthusiastic beautifying and amenity -societies. A great deal can be done for the promotion and protection of amenities in boroughs through the niedium of town-planning schemes. I

• 'am looking with confidence to the V"operation of extra-urban . planning schemes to achieve similar results in ' ;the semi-rural areas to .which they 'apply."

* An extremely mischievous form of development known .in England and other countries as "ribbon" development was, unfortunately, being exploited in New Zealand on some of -the new State highways, said the If not speedily checked or brought" under control, the system " would not only, militate against the purpose for which the highways were being constructed and create unnecessary traffic hazards, but would destroy the amenities of the rural scenery through which they passed and which the whole community had the right to "enjoy. ; "Ribbon" development could be described as the subdivision and development for building purposes of land' abutting on to main highways traversing rural districts. ■; This form of development had been made possible by the advent of the motor vehicle, and the fact that regular' bus services operated over the greater length of our main highways. TRANSPORT* ASPECT.

"I know that my colleague, the Minister of Transport, feels strongly on this point because the value of a road which is designed to carry with safety two lanes of fast traffic is largely destroyed where it has to be used also for access purposes to abutting dwelling-houses," said Mr. Parry. "I am informed that in England, prior to the passing of the 'Ribbon' Development Act in 1935, this form of development had become a real menace. It was rapidly destroying the amenities of the rural areas immediately surrounding the towns, creating unhealthy conditions through the lack of adequate water supply and drainage, or involving the local authorities in an altogether unwarranted expenditure for the provision of these services, and adding greatly to the toll of human life through traffic accidents. Today this type of development has been, brought under control both by the Town and Country Planning Act and the 'Ribbon' Development Act. Under the latter Act, all building development can be prohibited within 200 feet of the boundaries of a main arterial road, and the number and position of side streets entering these main roads controlled. In addition,to that, the premature subdivision of land for building purposes can be prohibited so long as other and suitable building land is available at a reasonable price. "Unfortunately, at the present time, we have no such powers in New Zealand, but I believe that something could be done to mitigate the evil through the medium of extra-urban planning schemes. The destruction of trees, for instance, can be prohibited, buildings nan be required to be set well back from the road frontage, the minimum frontage and area of building lots can be prescribed, the design of buildings controlled, and the use of land and buildings regulated. Hoardings, posters, and other forms of outdoor advertising can be prohibited or regulated, and the number, position, and width of subsidiary roads entering the main roads can be regulated iwith due regard to the safety of through fast traffic. I think it is quite clear, too, that land can be zoned for agricultural purposes,- although I am not prepared to say that this could be done without the payment of compensation, where it could be ;; shown that land abutting on to existing highways had an actual building value. In any case," Mr. Pairy concluded, "the preparation of these extra-urban planning schemes is all to the good, and; the action of the county councils in initiating these schemes cannot be too highly commended."