TOWN PLANNING

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1930, Page 9

TOWN PLANNING

MEETING IN NEW PLYMOUTH.

THE POSITION EXPLAINED.

In connection with the meeting of the Town-Planning Board to be held in New Plymouth on May 22 to hear evidence to determine the boundaries of the region comprising the borough and surrounding districts, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, as chairman of the board, wrote to the Borough Cquneil last night giving further information.

In view of misconceptions that appeared to have arisen as the result of the inclusion of regional planning provisions in the town-planning legislation, he desired to state that although regional planning was concerned with certain phases of town-planning, it was, in fact, much wider in its scope. It contemplated: (1) The preparation fif a survey of the natural resources of the area to which the scheme related, and the existing conditions regarding transportation facilities and other public utilities and services of a regional character; (2) the preparation of a scheme to secure the conservation and economic development of the natural resources of the region and the co-ordination of local body activities. For the purposes of regional planning a region might be regarded as a selfcontained social and economic unit, and the evidence of the council’s representative should be directed to a definition of the boundaries of the unit of which New plymould could be regarded as the focal point. The primary object of the inquiry was, to enable the local authorities themselves to acquire the information necessary for them to arrive at a decision on what action was to be taken for the, definition of the regional area and the constitution of a regional committee, in accordance with the provisions of the Town Planning Amendment Act, 1929. The Mayor, Crs. Brown and Amoore and Mr. W, D. Arinit were appointed the council's representatives at the townplanning conference;