TOWN PLANNING

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 44, 21 February 1930, Page 10

TOWN PLANNING

IMPORTANT WORK

POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS

MINISTER'S -REVIEW

Reference to matters which are requiring the attention, of members of the Town Manning. Board was made by the Minister of Internal Affairs (tho Ron. F. A. <le la Perrelle) when presid. ing at a. meeting of the board in Wellington to-day.

"Tlie meeting which'was Kelt' here on 4th December last year marked the end of the first three-year, period of I thu Town Planning Board," said the Minister. "It is 'with particular pleasure that 1 look round and see | that all the members of the old board, with two exceptions—Mr. Norwood and Mr. Nathan—have been reappoint- . cd. This will enable us to carry on with our work exactly where we left off, and will ensure continuity of policy. The two members who have been appointed to replace Mr. Norwood and Mr. Nathan are Mr. Troup, the Mayor of Wellington, and Mr. Jordan, the Mayor of Masterton. Mr. Troup, unfortunately, is not able to be with us to-day, but it gives' me' very sincere pleasure to -welcome Mr. Jordan to our councils. Both Mr. Troup and Mr. Jordan are men of wide experience in municipal affairs, and will bring to uur deliberations a ripe judgment and:, expert knowledge which will be invaluable. , • ■ . AMENDING THE ACT. "At the last meeting I made a brief reference "to one or two outstanding matters which would need to engage the attention of the new boards Chief amongst these is the question of the further amendment of the Town Planning Act, whiuh wo are all agreed is necessary and desirable, ' particularly the amendment •of the compensation and betterment provisions.' Mr. Mawsou/I know, has concrete proposals in Blind, based upon his knowledge of and experience in practical application of town-planning legislation in other parts of the British Empire. I note that one or two local authorities, have expressed some 'doubt as to; the advisability of taking action or proceeding further with their schemes in view of the possibility of these further amendments being brought down. In view of this, I think it desirable to make it quite clear that the regional planning provisions contained in the 1929 Amendment Act are complete and stand by themselves without reference to any further amendments which may be made to the principal Act. ■ "Another, matter of importance is town planning. This calls for the preparation of civic surveys, or a survey of existing conditions in the areas to which these schemes are to apply. Pull instructions' have been issued by the board in regard to the method of pre- "■■ paring these civic surveys, aiid it is desirable that those authorities winch ■ have not already completed them should do so without further delay. ■■ This, again, incidentally, is not a- matter which can be affected by any further amendments. Another matter of im- . portanee which luote is on the agenda paper for further consideration to-day is the question of defining minimum standards of light and air space v around buildings. Those of you who are familiar with the undesirable, conditions which are growing up in some of our larger towns, owing to the r lack of proper town 'planning ; or, building 'regulations, will realise the necessity of this, particularly from a public health point of view. "We are also to consider today the procedure to be followed by the board in respect to the determination of boundaries of regional areas. * ' DOMINION-WIDE INQUIRIES, "It-was decided at the last meeting that a series of inquiries should be held, by the,board in various centros throughout the Dominion, and it was suggested that those members of the board who can spare the time should be formed into a' committee or ; committees: to conduct these inquiries and secure the necessary information,; which would enable the board to define the boundaries of the, different regions. A circu-' lar letter was sent out over my signature to all local authorities, notifying them, that these inquiries would probably ;be held during the months of February and March. Owing .to the difficulty in Arranging this meeting at an. earlier date,'it is obvious, of course, that we shall not now be able to make a start with'these inquiries until some time in March. My own,view is that we should start at Invercargill in the South Island and work northward, but reserving our final decision until the inquiries have been completed, so that the whole of the areas can bo gazetted ■ at the same time. , . . . , PARMERS' VIEWPOINT. "I note from the Press Ahat some apprehension has been expressed by two county councils as to the value or utility of these regional schemes from, the point of view of the farmer. There seems to be some misapprehension, too', in regard to the financial burdens which willfall upon the county areas in the preparation of these schemes and " the execution of any works which may subsequently be undertaken. "Of the value of regional planning, both to rural and urban communities, there can be : no shadow !of doubt, and the cost of preparing these schemes in comparison with the benefits which they will confer ; and the money, which will bo saved which might otherwise be wasted in ill-directed development is almost negligible.. As oue of the Auckland papers expressed it the other day, these schemes are not 'a luxury, but a necessity. In themselves they do not necessarily commit, any local authority to the carrying out of any works or the expenditure of any money which would not otherwise be undertaken.» ■ . "The board will be pleased to know- - that the Director of Town Planning has been invited to address the Municipal Conference in Invercargill next month, and has.selected,for the subject of this address ,'Compensation a-i , .'flatter*ment.' We shall await with interest "- any decisions taken or recommendations made by the conference on,this point. It may, be, that, is in the case of th« regional planning provisions, which Mr.. Mawsoii explained to the Municipal > Conference of last year, we shall receive very material help in our further consideration of the amendment of the compensation and betterment provisions of the Town Planning Act." • •;• ; ■