Much Work Involved In Town-Planning Scheme

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1947, Page 8

Much Work Involved In Town-Planning Scheme

The work involved in a town-plan-ning scheme was outlined in an address to the Wanganui Rotary Club by the City Engineer, Mr. L. l r . Row. Financially equipped by the Wanganui City Council this year for the first time to formulate a planning poWcy under the provisions of the Town Planning Amendment Act, Mr. Row described in his address how development, held back today because materials are in short supply, should be controlled in the future. “There has probably been more ph. . .< .. . . <; .... v.. 1 0.-u. I types Oi build.ngs than in any other phase of city growth,” declared Mr. Row. “Proper planning aims at the layout of a city so that each type of building will be located in relation to all other buildings, and so that the health, convenience and comfort of all citizens will be considered.” Mr. Row spoke of the growing congestion in Wanganui’s thoroughfares then asked: “What will it be like when motor vehicles are easier to procure and when our population is 50,000?” 'The location of a street in the past was usually decided to meet the requirements of an individual owner who wished to subdivide his property and little attempt was made to ensure that the new street fitted into a suitable street network for the traffic requirements of the city as a whole, he pointed out. "Glaring examples of this can be seen in Wanganui East and Gonviile, where you often have to go a quarter of a mile or more to reach a house which is only a stone’s throw away. Try to plan a bus route for Wanganui East and you’ll soon see the point I’m trying to make.” The setting of a minimum of oneeighth of an acre for a building section was a step in the right direction, the speaker considered, but the rule had to be carried a stage further. For instance, how big must a house be and how many people must be permitted to live on a given area of land? "All such factors—height, air space, distance from street frontage and size of residence on certain sizes of sections are now being provided for in model by-laws introduced in recent years. "I would be the last to suggest an unnecessary encroachment on the few remaining rights of the individual,” he went on. "Let us to the fullest extent preserve those rights, but the moment the private individual’s rights become a public wrong, then it is time for action.” The town-planning scheme, continued the speaker, cannot re-model a city overnight; many of the past mistakes in Wanganui and other cities could only be rectified on a very long-range plan.