Town Planning in Auckland

Progress, Volume XIII, Issue 4, 1 December 1917, Page 79

Town Planning in Auckland

By F. E. POWELL, C.E., A.M.I.M.E.

The conditions in respect of the boroughs and part of Waitemata County on the north side of Auckland harbour offer one of the most favourable fields for the work of the Town Planner. Here at present are four boroughs, Devonport, Takapuna, Northcote and Birkenhead, separated naturally by the configuration of the country and all entirely residential in character. The district is remarkable for diversity of landscape,

sea and harbour views, including delightful outlooks upon the Haurald Gulf with its many picturesque islands, and in the other direction there are lake and harbour scenery, native bush and bold headlands. The land is of the usual undulating kind and offers many vantage points whence the observer may enjoy vistas of green stretches agreeably broken by groves and plantations of trees. Taken altogether as residential areas the country leaves little to be desired. In spite of these natural advantages, many of those who appreciate their value to the full, are aware that something is lacking. The fact that the residents are cut off from the city of Auckland by the barrier of the harbour renders the district less desirable in

A Scheme for the Northern Boroughs

the eves of many, whilst the difficulty of communication between borough and borough tends to a lack of homogeniety, if not to positive insularity. Were it possible to travel quickly and cheaply between the four centres this alone would tend to fusion and a combination of interests, although it would still leave the inhabitants isolated from their work for the most part, and subordinate to city conditions. Evidently then, if this north side is to develop a healthy autonomy, something is required that will not only bring the scattered units of the population into easy communication with one another, but that will bind them with a common object, more or less independent of the city of Auckland, as far as ordinary pursuits are concerned. The one thing that can produce this result is the establishment of business, commercial and industrial interests —in other words, a town or —in the midst of the people concerned, and it is the discussion of this possibility and the conditions that would arise, that forms the subject of these notes. Now a city is not planned merely to provide a community of interests, or if so planned could not be expected to have a healthy progressive existence, unless it provides the conveniences of trade and exchange, for which purpose it must be fed by produce of the surrounding country, while on the other hand it receives for distribution the imports required by the inhabitants. Obviously then, the site must be such as to suit wharves and other facilities for receipt of goods and must be convenient for railway and other means of transport on the landward side. It should be central, and a large part of its area should be reasonably level, not too elevated above sea level, and with a sufficiently large back country to admit of extension. Every one of these conditions is complied with at the site I propose near the head of Shoal bay. Further, the land is sparsely occupied, and none of the more thickly populated areas in the vicinity would be detrimentally affected. It is adjacent to a suitable position for wharves which would be well sheltered. It has physical features that could be turned to account from the aesthetic point of view, and has other advantages which many a great city might envy. It happens that a railway has already been planned by the Government to run from the north side to Helensville, and there seems every natural reason for this to start about the position shown on my plan. However, the first item for consideration is the means by which the four boroughs can be brought into touch with one another. This could be done to some extent by the provision of an interborough tram system over existing roads, and obviously this is in any case desirable. But I propose to link up the areas in a more direct manner by constructing embankment roads from Devenport to Bayswater, from

Bayswater to Northcote, and again across Little Shoal Bay to Birkenhead. These embankments would also carry tram systems, so that from the extremes of Cheltenham beach and Birkdale it should be possible to reach the town centre in about 15 or 20 minutes. Reference to the plans will show the location of these embankments. Behind the embankments the sea water would be held up to high water level, providing large salt water lakes of good depth, where at present great muddy areas exist at low tide. By providing locks in the embankments these lakes will be made available for vessels suited to the draught of water inside, but the main shipping wharves would be in the open harbour outside, preferably in the position indicated on plan. . We now come to another proposition, made possible by the construction of the embankments. Assuming it will be unnecessary to keep full tide level inside them, and allowing say two feet of water to be drawn off each tide, it is possible to obtain by means of turbines a very considerable amount of power, which can be readily converted to electricity. The calculations show that something like 18,000 h.p. hours per day can be thus obtained at neap tides, and of course much more at spring tides, and the cost of such power would be reasonably low. Unfortunately the tidal variations in point of time would not allow of direct use of the power, but herein lies one of the peculiar features of the position in that a convenient storage basin can be made, whereby the power can be adapted to the actual needs. So suitable are the conditions that the amount of power would probably serve a town almost the present size of Auckland and this is looking far enough ahead to justify the scheme. The method of operation would be as follows. During ebb tide the large turbines would be operating from the difference of level of water inside and outside the embankments, the turbines being coupled to pumps which drive a portion of the water into the storage basin. Other turbines coupled to electric generators would draw their water supply from the basin at such times as would suit the demand. As is well known, the efficiency of this type of plant is high, the upkeep low, and there arc no fuel expenses to meet. Now as to the railway. This is suggested on the plan and it will be seen that it starts at the wharves, skirts the seaward side of the town site, rising gradiially into the low land at the bead of Shoal bay and thence by gently rising ground through the ‘Wairau area at the back of Taka puna. The distance to ITelensville and the north by this railway is some 10 miles less than the existing route but unless convenient means of transport across the harbour are provided this would probably not attract many passengers from the Auckland side. I do not propose a bridge, but there is an excellent alternative in a system of train ferries such as exist in many parts of the world, so that passengers would be able to board the train in Auckland and thus be carried over the harbour where the train would disembark for the north. It need hardly be pointed out that the provision of a railway in itself would tend to the establishment of a town at its point of departure, and further, by tapping country at present badly served in this respect would bring produce also to the same point.

So much for the means of communication: let us now consider the results. Looking at the plan it will be seen that of the two curious lagoons in the Northcote district, one has already been noted as a storage basin site. The other is admirably adapted to be formed into the central business portion of the projected town. The concentration of railway, tramways, wharves, power site, and so on involves a working population thereabouts, and the establishment of stores, warehouses, commercial houses and the like. Some land would be reclaimed behind the road and railway embankment 100 acres —excellently suited to these purposes. The banks, shops, offices, etc., would congregate in the lagoon area, and beyond this, on slightly rising ground would be established subsidiary shopping and warehouse places. Further back still, in the largo area of nearly level land skirting the railway up into the Wairau would arise factories. and industries of various sorts would be carried on by the aid of cheap electric power. Breaking into this area and diversifying it are more elevated ridges, where one might expect closely settled residential districts, with such buildings as libraries, churches and other public buildings to be erected in commanding sites. Gradually, the concentration of effort, and the amount of business to be transacted would cause the larger part of the population in the four boroughs to find their employment in the new city. Traffic with Auckland would not be less, but greater, but its character might be altered.

Ihe main outlines have now been stated and the next stage is properly the work of the town planner. I propose only to refer to some of the broader features under this head, and especially to the layout of the central business site in the second lagoon. I suggest that this would he surrounded by a stone or concrete breast wall, oval in plan, filled in on the landward side an( \ a broad causeway constructed not less than two chains wide, and nearly a mile in circumference. Ihe lagoon would be filled with water forming a. shallow lake. On the land side would be the shops, offices, banks, insurance buildings, places of amusement and the like. Parallel with the oval causeway would run a minor street, whence supplies and deliveries to and from the shops, etc., would be made by back entrances. Several radial roads would join these main roads continued in some cases out to other interconnecting roads. Four of these radial roads would be spacious avenues, leading up to open places which would be dealt with as in many of the great continental towns. In the lagoon a couple of small islands might be formed, beautified by trees and reached by narrow bridges. The tram system would complete the circuit of the great road, and by proper planning it would be seen how centralized and convenient shopping, and, business conditions can be made, as well as providing comfort and recreation possibilities.

Coming from Devonport there would be no need to cross the busy railway system about the wharves on the low level. The road would start to rise about opposite the ferry berths and would be carried on a viaduct to the higher ground where it would bifurcate to the business centre on the one hand, and towards Birkenhead and Northcote on the other. No doubt about this spot a transfer station would be established

enabling a passenger from any of the suburbs to change easily to a tramcar for any other point. The low level road from the embankment would be carried along the eastern foreshore of Northcote point to a suitable position, whence a tunnel, (which seems the simplest proposition), would carry communication through to the suggested embankment across Little Shoal bay, thus serving the residents of Northcote Point and the lower end of Birkenhead. The back communication from Northcote to Takapuna (at present the main thoroughfare) as it exists is a steep winding road, with great scenic advantages, but without spoiling the latter an improvement would be made by the construction of a viaduct across the inlet, which incidentally would always look its best by the retention of the sea "water behind the embankment.

In a scheme of these proportions only a general survey can be attempted at this stage, but I hope the above indicates not only the desirabilitynay the necessity—of considering the matter in a practical aspect. I hope it will now be evident that a development of the kind is inevitable, and if that is so the importance of preparing for its advent should be obvious. Probably no better oppotunity ever occurred to make such preparations, nor could the Town Planner expect more congenial conditions for his work. One can hardly avoid some argument in anticipation of those who—however well disposed towards the scheme—may regard it as too remote to deserve close consideration. This is the difficulty that all town planners must meet, and it is not enough to point out that our duty towards posterity demands a reasonable part of our time in such proposals as these. Of course there is the sound argument that land, etc., can be acquired now at prices that would make the way easy for our successors, and further it is possible to let them pay in due course, which they would no doubt gladly do. But some more immediate prospect is required to interest the average citizen deeply, and this is provided in the scheme. The railway may be regarded as a certainty within measureable time, and some part of the centralization is a necessary corollary. Given a railway, communication must be made with all districts, hence the embankments and other reading facilities. The power scheme follows from this, and brings electric traction in its wake. All these conditions are likely to occur within a very few years—obviously then, before any of them become crystallized facts the general scheme should be agreed upon so that energy is not wasted in future alterations. Ample public discussion of the subject is the first requirement, so that it might be thrashed into shape, after which any part of the scheme may be undertaken with the certainty that it will eventually settle into place with the rest.

Willoughby, in his Hygiene, states: —“The air of a room should be completely changed three or four times per houri.e., every twenty or fifteen minutes. A greater rate of movement cannotbe borne if the air be cold, but may be scarcely perceived if it be warmed before admission. With a change every fifteen minutes, two persons would require for comfort, a room, say, 10 by 15 feet and 10 feet high.”