TOWN PLANNING

Southland Times, Issue 22956, 31 July 1936, Page 6

TOWN PLANNING

Controlling Growth Of City

ALTERATION SCHEME FOR STREETS

ZONES DEFINED IN INVERCARGILL

The provisional town planning scheme, to control the future development of Invercargill, which was deferred at Tuesday night’s meeting of the City Council contains extensive and far-reaching proposals affecting both urban and suburban districts. Much of the scheme .'s not new, for throughout the Dominion town planning schemes are in part only a consolidating of statutes already found in city by-laws; but the proposal as a whole sets certain defined zones, in which restrictions governing the type of buildings allowed to be erected and the uses to which they can be put, will eventually become law. The preparation of town planning proposals is not merely a suggestion to borough councils and city councils of possible ways of protecting the city against growth in undesirable directions. It is compulsory on all boroughs and cities with populations of more than 1000 to prepare a plan, and many local bodies have already lodged provisional proposals. In addition to the dividing of the city and suburbs into zones in which building is restricted to conform with hard-and-fast regulations, the Invercargill plan provides for the provision of new streets, the extension of others, and—a clause which provoked much discussion at the City Council—the widening of certain streets and the setting back of the building line in others. On the provisional plan now prepared for consideration by the City Council provision is made for the extension in length of the following streets: St. Andrew street, William street, Rodney street, Collingwood street, John street, Conon street, Ythan street and Spey street. Widened Streets. Streets to be widened 51 yards on either side include Dee street, north of Victoria Avenue and continuing on past Bay road, and Tay street east from Elies road to a point past Inglewood. Elies road is to be widened on the eastern side from Catherine street to Dalrymple road, and then on both sides till it joins Kew road. Further north it is to be widened 5J yards on the eastern side until it meets Layard street. Tweed street east is to be widened 11 yards, on the north side only from Elies road out to Inglewood. Building lines are to be set back, in the suburbs, for 5£ yards on either side of Dunn’s road, and on the north side of Stead street. On Oteramika road they are to be set back on the north side. Provision is also made for new roads, one connecting with Bainfield road, and two others dividing blocks of land near the racecourse reserve. The Town Planning Act of 1926 makes provision for classifying the district into the following zones: Special residential areas, general residential areas, local commercial, commercial, light industrial, and heavy industrial. In the special residential areas permitted buildings are dwelling houses, churches, educational institutions and such buildings as art galleries and museums, and a number of other similar classifications. General residential areas permit all the building allowed in the special areas with the addition of tenement houses and flats, boarding houses, hotels and clubs, and nursing homes. Suburban Shops. Local commercial areas, which may best be defined as suburban shopping areas, provide for any of the buildings in the two classes of residential districts, with the addition of retail shops and auction rooms, professional and commercial offices, manufactured goods sold on the premises and not elsewhere, and bakeries, laundries and similar suburban businesses, provided in each case that the total floor space on all floors does not exceed 5000 square feet. Theatres and public and private places of entertainment _ and garages are also to be permitted. Commercial districts provide for usual office accommodation and for warehouses. Light industrial districts allow any of the buildings permitted in the areas previously mentioned, and buildings for any other use except a number-of which the following are typical examples: Abattoirs, breweries, foundries, manufacture or storage of any explosive, cattle yards, and any manufacturing trade classed as offensive within the meaning of the Health Act of 1920. In heavy industrial districts any buildings can be built except dwelling houses or other buildings designed for human habitation, with the exception of caretakers’ accommodation, and other purposes subject to the consent of the City Council. Each of the districts has certain governing regulations about height of buildings and area of accompanying ground, etc. Other regulations prohibit posters in residential districts, and there are further regulations covering the enforcement of the provisions under the Act. Old Homes. Many of the regulations, particularly in Invercargill, have been in force for years, and the town planning scheme merely consolidates them into the one group. For instance, for almost exactly 20 years, since August 16, 1916, there have been by-laws governing the building line in 17 of the city’s streets. No buildings erected before the Act comes into force are affected by it, and it is the aim of those responsible for the drawing of the plan to preserve more or less the status quo, so that the new zones provided are more or less in line with the present layout of the town. In the local shopping areas, defined as local commercial areas, it is the intention of the Act to provide that no house occupier shall be compelled to go more than about a quarter of a mile to a shop selling necessaries. The present position of the Invercargill plan is that it must first be considered by the City Council and sent on by that body to the Town Planning Board for provisional approval. If the board approves of it, its provisions are advertised so that objections may be lodged. If any objections are made they are heard by the Town Planning Board. It is a duty of local bodies affected to have the plans in Wellington by January 1 next, and the putting of the scheme into operation is expected to begin next year. The work will, of course, be done gradually, and compensation is paid for land taken to widen streets.