Porirua - city in the making: the urban development of Porirua Basin

Abstract

This quotation summarizes very aptly what are somewhat vaguely referred to in New Zealand as 'The Principles of Town Planning!' It certainly expresses very clearly the objectives that must be kept in view at all times during the planning of the development of any urban area. Within the Porirua Basin there are areas whose development has been definitely planned - by the State Ministry of Works - and other areas whose growth has been the response of private demands and needs. Just how near the various centres of the Porirua Basin and indeed the Porirua Basin as a whole, have been able to reach the ideal expressed above is part of the especial interest of this thesis. The rapid growth of large dormitory suburbs on the rural-urban fringe of cities is a common phenomena of modern life. This centrifugal movement is sometimes accompanied by features of urban sprawl, 'Urban Sprawl' is a rather emotive term that is being used to describe a movement of population towards the suburbs, and the scattered development that jumps across undeveloped tracts.