COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Chronicle (Levin), 10 April 1946, Page 7

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

-Press Association

AUCKLAND DEVELOPMENT MR. SEMPLE'S OUTLINE

By Telegraph—

ATJ CKJjAND, April 9. A comprehensive xo-year pian oi major deveiopmental works in the Auckland metropolitan area was explained to a conference of local authorities this mormng by the Minister oi Works (Hon. R. Semple). The scheme embraces rail, highway, residential, ousiness, industrial, and recreationai developments, but does not include trans-harhour access, which is being left especially to the appointed comiius sion. The Minister emphasised that the Government had decided that the planning of the work shouid be put on a more rational. basis, and taken by steps to iinplement a policy o-f long-range planning, with the fullest cooperation i'rom the local authorities. Among the proposals - are an underground railway connecting the Auckland railway station with the Norta Auckland line near Morningside, and various other connections which will provide circular rail services through the suburbs, as well as serve the areas developed residentially or industrially. Major highway proposals to the souch j include a deviation of the present Main , South Road to avoid Otahuhu, Papa i toetoe, Manurewa, and Papakura, while | a new northern route will bring i Whenuapai within 13 miles of the hear. i of the city. Large settlements are con templated in the various areas to be served by the new road and rail sys tems. ' As a result of special legislation, com pensation for the land required for the j contemplated works would not now be 1 inflated by the additional value createu j by such works, Mr. Semple stated. He 1 added that the proposals were a basic ! plan only, and amendments could be 1 eliected after the local authorities ane i.the Regional Councils had considerea I them. ADVANCE INFORMATION | Mr. Semple said that, by utilising the new legislation, the Government for tne I first time was enahled to make public in adavnce its intentions regarding majoi construction proposals. Action in this ! respect had already heen taken in Weij lington, and the Minister had received the fullest support from all Joca: | authorities. j "In a country like New Zealand, ' ! stated the Miinster, "where the Statc j is called upon to carry the major re 1 sponsi'oility of deveiopmental work, it h i not possible for local authorities c-r i even private interests safely to plan i aliead without some intimation oi the ! u-overnment's intentions, and the Govj ernment realises that local authority ! and Government planning are liruvc closely together, and that any attempt at independent action must result ir. conflict and a waste of money. Witl, cdrtain safeguards, the Government ii. desirous of associating regional anc. local authority needs in its own plan ning, and it is for this reason that I have come to Auckland." i The Minister said it was the intontioi. J of the Government to initiate the Auck j land development works in order oi | their logical priority in the next ten I years. The commencement of individua. j works would depend on local necessitj, and considerations of full employment ! and production, to which the Govern ment was pledged. Also involved woula be the finance availahle and its relation to the general economy of the country There was 110 thought of disturbing any private residents already living in the areas affected, except here and there Perhaps a residence or huilding directiy in the way of some development would have to be accfuired, but in such case. ample notice would be given and pro vision would he made for housing them elsewhere. "As the schemes envisage provisioi by the Government in conjunction wit. the local authorities of fully-developea residential and industrial areas, com pletion will take just as long as popula tion and economic factors require," Mr Semple added. ' ' These works are plan ned to permit of the healthy develop ment of Auckland over the next decade They are a guide to development, anc. as the works progress, we must Uavc ready the next logical step in economigrowth. The Government is doing it. utmost to advance the development 0. the Dominion upon sound lines and tc implement its policy of full employmem and full production. ' ' The principle of cooperative plannin; through the Ministry of Works woulo be extended to cover a much greatej field with, he thought, very consider able benefit to primary and secondar-. mdustries and commercial activity gen erally.