Street closing opposed

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 1

Street closing opposed

Inner City Operation Neighbourhood a residents’ association in the western part of the Christchurch city centre, will object to the proposed closing to traffic of part of Victoria Street. Mr Dennis Cottle, the association’s secretary, said that a Saturday meeting showed “a fair spread of opinion” on Christchurch City Council plans for the Victoria Square redevelopment block, from those who saw merit in the proposals to those who wanted no

change at all. But the meeting was unanimous in its view that closing the square to traffic would cause traffic prob-

lems in nearby residential streets. “There was also concern about what the commercial development would be,” said Mr Cottle. There was little support for a high-rise hotel in the north-west corner of the block. His association would formally object to the street-closing move. Residents would also oppose the total closing of Chester Street West to traffic to allow easier access between parts of Cathedral

Grammar School. Some sort of “threshold development” to restrict traffic flow would be acceptable, said Mr Cottle.