LOOKING AHEAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 14, 9 February 1942, Page 5

LOOKING AHEAD

TOWN PLANNING SCHEME

SUB-DIVISION ON MUDFLATS

A town planning scheme, is to be mooted by the Harbour Board as a result of a meeting between the Board and the Council recently and, although this move will not cover the whole of the Borough perhaps, it will take 1 a long sighted view regarding the future of the town and of the use to be made of the 40 acres of mudflats now being reclaimed by the Harbour , Board'. ''We may be looking fifty if not a hundred years ahead," commented Mr W. R. Boon, chairman of the Board, at the meeting held on Friday, "but we must look ahead to avoid great expense in the future." He continued to explain that the committee had. met a committee of the Borough Council in the Council's request for a site of a proposed new rest area and public conveniences and the outcome had been his decision to obtain the services of a town planner to submit a scheme of sub-division if approved by other members. Mr Boon continued that under IaAV live per cent of lands sub-divided had to be handed to the local authority for usual amenities required, and thus* a plan would make it possible for the Borough to know- what lands would be its own and then reclamation work could be gone on with. A plan of the same nature had some time ago been drawn and hajd: been held over as the Borough would not approve it unless all roads were dedicated. From time to time the Board had to subdivide and go to expense to do so. If a town planner was engaged and the Borough Council approved his laj'-out then the work would be done in readiness at a cost of £100 or £200 and would be very w r ell spent. He did not anticipate any difficulty in having the plans of a professional man Excepted by the Borough Council. The Board would be wise to make .their subdivision in this many instead of doing so piecemeal. Mr R. Ruddick and Mr G. R. Kent were the movers of a motion that the. service of a planner be engaged, and a committee was set up to confer with the Borough Council regarding the matter. Mr G. A. Brabant, gave his opinion that a planner would not be likely to go his own way but would seek the guidance of the local bodies involved and thus a tentative plan of suggestions should be made by the council and the board in readiness. Other members, however, pointed out that a professional man was to be engaged to plan the area to avoid amateurs doing so, and the motion' w 7 as carried.