TOWN PLANNING

Evening Star, Issue 16848, 25 September 1918, Page 3

TOWN PLANNING

THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION. At the meeting of the Town Planning Committee List Wednesday an interesting report was brought forward dealing with the consideration by a sub-committee set up to examine the Bill which the Hon. G. YV. Russell has circulated to town planning societies and local bodies. The following is a brief extract from the report: Generally the idea oi the Bill is For the Government to set up a Town Planning Commission, which will review, and, if necessary, revise schemes submitted to it by local authorities. No act of the Town Planning Commission shall be binding until it has been approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Minister," with or without the consent of the local authority, declare any district, together with or without adjacent lands, to be subject to the provisions of the Act, and it is provided that the cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchureh, and Dunedin may, by resolution passed at an ordinary meeting of the council, apply to have "such cities and any adjacent lund described in the resolution declared to be subject to the provision* of the Act. Upon anv district becoming subject to the Act, no land exceeding 10 acres in extent within the proclamation area may be subdivided for sale, except with the approval of the Minister, or if the area, is not. wholly within one district, unless the plan of subdivision is approved by a conference from the boioughs affected as provided in the Act. It is the duty ai the conference to see that adequate provision is made in such plan for reading, water supply, drainage, and lighting of roads in con formity with the town planning scheme, and that duo provision is made for schoo 1 .-; and recreation grounds. Any land requireo for post offices, drill halls, c<nvjteries, schools, and recreation grounds, r<,t exceeding one-tenth of the total area jt'P.y be taken by the Crown under the proprivious of the Public Works Act' at the Government valuation of the land prior to its being offered for sale. A council may, by resolution passed at an ordinary meeting, resolve to prepare and adopt a town planning scheme providing for the matters mentioned in the schedule to the Act, and the Minister may, if he considers it desirable, call up the council to prepare a scheme; but such scheme must be adopted by the council before being proceeded with. The General objects of the scheme shall be to improve and develop the town piani ning area to the best possible advantage, and in particular :

la) To secure proper sanitary and hygienic conditions, heaithf illness, amenity, and convenience. (b) To make suitable prevision in connection with the laying out and improvement of streets for traffic and for means of communication, etc. (o) To make suitable provision for the u:io of land for building or other purposes. (d) To make provision for the acquisition and reservation of area for the growing of timber for the use of persons within the town planning area. And with these objects the scheme may plan and replan and provide for reconstructing the whole or any part, of the town planning area. Councils are empowered in the Bill to purchase land under u town planning scheme. Clause (3) provides for the Commission to consist of'nine members, four of whom shall form a quorum. It was felt that tLi-ee efficient officers should .suffice, and ako that several of the Government officials suggested, by reason of the multifarious duties already undeitakeu by them, might be prevented from taking im active interest in town planning. The recommendation was accordingly I made that the Commission comprise:—(a) lire Surveyor-General; (b) two persons appointed bv the Governor-General, who shall hold office daring the pleasure of the CJovcxaor-Goccral. The lat-t,ei- appoiivtmenta should be from the ranks of ■themost experienced practical town-planning exports in the- Dominion. The Act con.templa.tes, and in fact relies largely upon the active co-operation of local authorities, designing and submitting town-planning schemes and generally maintaining locally the -ideals set out in tba Bill. If therefore little interest is taken by the municipal authorities in this direction, the success of the Bill cannot bo regarded with optimism. To oyeie-'ine this, it was urged 'that a. clause bo iustrted ! making it compulsory for eveiy local authority to set up as one of its standing committees m. committee, whose duty it shall be to watch and carry out in each municipality the broad ideals oi towix-pkuming. It was thought that by this moans a live interest in this important branch of civic work will be developed in local bodies. At present little infec-st in taken bv them, the reason being that publie men"have not, bothered to examine its advantages or its possibilities. The inistallatiou of such must result in eoonomy, civic beautification, and healthier conditions of living. The Act provides that upon any district being proclaimed subject to the Act no land exceeding 10 acres in extent within the proclaimed area may be subdivided for sale except with the approval of the Minister. Members, however, were of _ the opinion that even if tire land, subdivided is leas than 10 acres the provisions of the Act should apply. That the- subdivision of a smaller area not in accordance with the configuration of the areas in the district might spoil the aspect of the whole locality, and in a measure defeat the etl'orts of the local authority to maintain particular districts on approved lin<?s- Before a scheme is submitted to the Commission public notice 1 of the same must be given and of the estimated cost and considerable other formalities complied with. The sub-committee expressed the view that considerable inconvenience would be saved by the prior mutual exchange- of ideas between councils and the Commission. It is satisfactory to notice that among the matters which may be provided for in, a towm-planning scheme -is theprevention of the erection of ugly buikiuigs which may destroy local amenities-. The schedule enumerates a vast number of matters which may be provided for m a town-planning scheme, and provides lor tlie general improvemant of the many defects in normal civic growth thai have been so obvious to those interesting tiieniselves in local Government, The repurt of the sub-committee was adopted, with a recommendation that the following clause also be inserted in the Bill:—"Vf any alterations are made by the Commission, tlie council shall be notified and given the opportunity of modifying- or withdrawing the. scheme, and propounding another scheme." It wan thought that unless sumc sucJi prorasfoa is made local Ixidies might object to who* might be considered arbitrary treatment by the Commission.