TOWN PLANNING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15687, 5 August 1911, Page 13

TOWN PLANNING.

'EON GEORGE FOWLDS MAKES PROPOSALS. [From Our CoimESPOSpBNT.] WELLINGTON, August 4. The promised Bill on town planning was circulated to-day by the Hoi George Fowlds. It sets out in r schedulo the matters that may be. provided for in town planning schemes. The laying out and constructing oi roads and streets, and the stopping oi any road or street. The laying out and construction oi drainage and water supply schemes. The lighting of roads and streets anc public buildings. , , . , , The setting apart and laying out ol land for recreation grounds and public buildings (including public baths), anc the erection of public buildings. . The reclamation of land. The preservation of objects or historical interest or of natural beauty To carry out these objects the Bil. proposes to create a Town Planning Hoard, consisting of tho SurveyorGeneral and four other persons nominated by the Governor-in-Council, k hold office for five years. Ibis authority will have power to prepare anc approvo plans for any of the work; spejiiied in a town planning scheme. and any matter, including the purchast of land, necessary to carry out thesi proposals. A borough council (or towr district) may adopt a town planning scheme providing for the matter* enumerated in the Bill, and clearly do fining the area in which it is intendec to have effect. This area may includt tho whole or any part of the borough and any adjacent land. Provision is made for public notice of a proposed schemo and the bearing of objections by tho Town Planning Board, which has power to hold an in quiry into the matter, and make re commendations to the Governor-ui-Council, with whom lies tho final powci of approval. When more than om local governing body is concerned .it the town planning area, a joint committee may be set up, or the responsibility for carrying out any .portion oi tho 'scheme allocated to a particulai local authority. A town planning scheme is to bo regarded as a public work within the meaning of the Public Works Act and : Municipal Corporations Act, but in raising a loan for the purposes of a scheme it shall not be necessary to take "a poll of the ratepayers. Compensation to any person injuriously affected by the scheme may be determined by arbitration, but no compensation shall bo payable in respect to a building erected or contract made with respect to land included in a town planning scheme after tho first publication of notice to adopt such a scheme. Property shall not bo deemed to be injuriously affected by reason of any of the provisions of a town planning scheme which regulate the space about buildings or limit the number of buildings to be erected or prescribe the height or character of buildings. Where a town planning schemo is revoked any person who has incurred expenditure for the piirix>se of complying trrfb the scheme shall be entitled to compensation in accordance with this section, in so far as any, such expenditure has been rendered abortive by reason of the revocation of the scheme. frivparrying out a schema! the local authority has power to remove, pull down or alter any building or other work which may interfere with it, and any question which may arise as to whether a building contravenes a town planning scheme shall bo finally"determined by the Town Planning Board.