PROPOSED TOWNSHIP AT WAIRAKEI

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 196, 28 October 1955, Page 1

PROPOSED TOWNSHIP AT WAIRAKEI

100 Permanent DwelMngs At the Borough Oouncil meeting 011 Wednesday evening, October 10, the Mayor, Mr .7. E. Story, reported on an interview which the County Commissioner, Mr A. H. O'Keefe, and he fcad had with the Ilon. \V. S. Goosman, Minister of Works, in Wellington, in connection with the Ministry's proposal to builcl a group of 100 permanent houses at Wairakei. This township is to be situated on the higher level terrace north of the Rotorua highway at the point where it goes down hill to the bridge over the waiau creek froin the Geyser Valley. Ii is intendod to house Ihe staff which will operate the Geothermal Power Station aud associated plant. The Mayor stated that the County Commissioner and he had placed before the Minister certain objections to the establishment of such a new settlement at Wairakei, based on accepted principles of town and country planning. Mr Goosman, following an hour and a half's discnssion, had made it cdear that the Ministry's decision to establish the settlement would be carried ont. Mr Goosman had agreed that many oi the objections raised were of some weight, but had stated that the over■riding reason was that the staff, for ■security reasons, must be near the morks. He had assured them that ■the settlement would not be allowed Itc develop into a town. It would be ■restricted entirely to staff operating ■Ihe power project, with perhaps one ■ibop.

In conversation with the Tirnes, [following the meeting, Mr Story sald [that the objections he and Mr O'Keefe [had made all stemmed from the prinKiples embodied in the County's DisItrict Scheme and the Borough's Town [Plan. The County scheme aimed at Ihe control of urban development in Kounty areas surrounding the Borkgh, so that an impetus might be feven to development of vacant land fcithin the Borough. | The Borough scheme aimed at iestricting development on the outkirts until a satisfactory degree of ■onsolidation had been reached in exfcting suhdivided areas, but the confciued success of this policy depended m similar measures being carried out ■ the surrounding county. I It was clear that township develop■ent taking place within say 10 ■iles of Taupo would postpone to wme extent the time when all neeess■ry urban amenlties and ut.illty serBices could be economically provided Irithin the scattered area of the Bormh.

It was difficult to see why more lan a handful of key men should he puired to live near the site of the leothermai Power project, judging bm other large industrial enterprisk The bulk of any housing could leally he situated in the Borough, nd more than sufficient. sectiona alJady subdirided aiad roaded could be Itained at the north ern end of tae krough within easy reach of Wa!ikei by bns service or car. ■ Workers and their families could ften enjoy established amenities such ft recreational grounds, schoole, iops, entertainment and other eomfcnity facilities, all of which would ■re to be duplicated at great ex■nse to the comrpunity, wlth'n a new nm. And experience elsewhere mred the likelihood that a settlekt of 100 hous*s built in tbe near ■ture, might cause a demand for up ■ double that number of additional fces within a few years. ■However, the Minister bad made it

clear that security reasons in the event of war necessitated the establishing of the sfcaff housing settlement at Wairakei. They could only hope that the Ministry's present exprossed determination not to allow the settlement to expancl into a town, but to restrict it to staff only, would be a continuing policy and so prevent the unnecessary development of another tcwn close to Taupo.