TOWN PLANNING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7871, 5 August 1911, Page 1

TOWN PLANNING

A NEW BILL HON. GEORGE FOAVLDS MAKES PROPOSALS. “TOWN PLANNING" DEFINED. Tho promised Bill on Towu Planning was circulated yesterday by tho Hon. George Fowlds. It sots out in a schedule the matters that may be provided for in town-planning schemes- These, are: Tho laying-out and construction, of. roads aud streets, and the stepping of any road or street. Tho laying-out. and construction of drainage aud water-supply schemes. The lighting of roads and streets and public buildings. The setting-apart and laying-out of land for recreation grounds and public buildings (including public baths), and the erection of public buildings. Tho reclamation of land. The preservation of objects of historical interest or of natural beautyTArtcarry out these • objects, the Bill seeks to create a .Town Planning Board, consisting of tho Surveyor-General and four other persons nominated by tho Governor-in-Counoil, to hold office for five years. This authority will have power to prepare and approve plans for any of the works specified in a townplanning scheme, and any matters including the purchase of land, necessary to carry out thoso proposals. LOCAL BODIES’ POWERS. A borough council (or town district) may adopt a town-planning scheme providing for tho matters enumerated above, and clearly defining the area in which it is intended to have effect. This area may include the whole or any part of the borough, and any adjacent land. Provision is made for public notification of a proposed scheme and the hearing of objections by the Town Planning Board, which has power to hold an inquiry into tho matter and make recommendations to tho Governor-in-Council, with whom lies the final power of approval. When more than one local governing body is concerned in tho townplanning area, a joint committee may bo set up, or tho responsibility for carrying out any portion of the scheme allocated to a particular local authority. A PUBLIC WORK. A town-planning scheme is to be regarded as a public work within themeaning of the Public Works Act and] Municipal Corporations Act. but in rais-r ing a loan for the purposes of a scheme it shall not bo 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 be payable in respect to a .building erected or contract made with respect to laud included in a, town-planning scheme, after the first publication of notice to adopt such a scheme. Property shall not be deemed to be inj urionsly 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 tho height or character of buildings. Where a town-planning scheme is revoked any person who has incurred expenditure for the purpose of complying with the scheme shall be entitled' to compensation in accordance with this section in so far as any such expenditure has boon rendered abortive by reason of the revocation of the scheme. In carrying out a scheme, 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 townplanning scheme shall bo, finally determined by tho Town Planning Board.