ARCHITECTURE OF NAPIER

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 April 1932, Page 3

ARCHITECTURE OF NAPIER

TOWN PLANS APPROVED. The definite approval by the Town Planning Board of the plans for the reconstruction.or i.apier has been announced. They provide, for muchneeded improvements in service lanes, street lay-out and the general amenities of the town. The predominating style of architecture in ;the new Napier is Spanish, with a number of good, examples of modern architecture. These two types blend excellently, says Mr. A. B. Hurst, who carried out the complicated negotiations with the property, owners of Napier. They aro simple and depend greatly on colour for their attractiveness. Two better styles could not have been selected. With the wiping out of the, business area, following the earthquake the possibilities of extending the lay-outs further than previously intended became very real, and a. voluntary' committee, under the leadership of Mr.. L. B. Campbell, Commissioner for Napier, . was set. up to deal with the problem. The work of the committee was severely hampered by financial stringency, and it Avas found that the original . intentions Avould be far too -costly for the borough, Modified proposals werb formulated, therefore, and it was these which had met with the approval of the Town Planning Board. The main features of the new regulations are the widening of principal streets and the, provision of service lanes which will give a two-way’ exit and afford better fire-fighting facilities. The extension of the Marine parade

beyond tho present Avail for its total length as far as the concrete road ,to Awatoto is also an ultimate object of tho proposals. All corners are to be splayed under tho new regulations, while an item ever which especial care has been taker. is that of the borough services. In the business area of the future, all power and telegraph lines will be underground, while the prohibition of verandah posts will give the shopping areas a. clean and attractive appearance. Mr. Hurst slates that the architects of the district voluntarily co-ordinated in the design of buildings in different afcas. Owing to the financial stringency it Avas not possible to develop the- community blocks of buildings to tlje extent originally hoped,., but this aspect Avas not. being overlooked, / and there Avould be a considerable number of units partly owned by different property 7 .OAvners.