OLD PONSONBY DEPOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20495, 21 February 1930, Page 15

OLD PONSONBY DEPOT.

THE ERECTION OF SHOPS.

PROTEST BY RESIDENTS.

AN ELEVENTH-HOUR PETITION.

The subdivision of the site previously occupied by the Ponsonby tram depot, recently demolished, has raised the question whether the area should be reserved entirely for residential purposes or handed over in part, at least, to shops. But for an eleventh-hour petition from the neighbouring residents, the Auckland City Council Inst evening would have given permission for the subdivision of portion of the ground into shop sites. In the meantime, however, the question will receive further consideration. The property is owned by the Auckland Transport Board and when the demolition of the old buildings was in progress last year the council decided to consider the area as residential. However, the board desired to dispose of lots 10, 11 and 12, which are the sections at the corner of Jervois Road and Wallace Street, for the erection of shops in view of the likelihood of a greater revenue being obtained, and when its request was conveyed to the Town Planning Committee of the council, the city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, inclined to the board's point of view. The report of the Town Planning Committee, presented to the council last evening, reversed its previous decision, namely, that the area should be reserved exclusively for residential purposes, and instead recommended that lots 11 and 12 should be resubdivided into shop sites.

A protest, in the shape of a petition, signed by 100 residents of the district, was placed before the council by Mr. W. L. Casey. Tho petition asked that the area of Heine Bay, between tho north side of Jervois Road and the sea should be regarded as suitable only for residences. This locality, it was claimed, was ideally suited to residences of the best class and should be zoned so as to be entirely free from commercial buildings. The petitioners pleaded that nothing should bo done to violate the beauty of the suburb. The petition was referred to the Town Planning Committee, which will also reconsider its recommendation regarding the shopsGbn the tram depot site.