BUSINESS BUILDING URGED AT WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 19, 7 August 1950, Page 5

BUSINESS BUILDING URGED AT WHAKATANE

The necessity of commencing, construction of business buildings on sections at the western end of the town was emphasised at the bimonthly meeting of the Whakatane Harbour Board on Friday. Following receipt of a letter from the Minister of Works, in which he stated that applications for business buildings worth more than £3OOO would receive sympathetic consideration, it was decided to send present lessees of Board sections a copy of the letter.

At its last meeting the Board decided to urge the Government to relax building restrictions so that erection of business premises might be proceeded with at Whakatane. At the present time business buildings are restricted to £3OOO in value,

Some More Wanted Commenting on the position the chairman, Mr W. R. Boon, said he thought that it was time the Board did something to speed up the building of business premises on sections leased at the western end of the town. Shops and business buildings were urgently required at Whakatane. He considered that there were many business buildings going up that obviously cost more than £3OOO. Mr Boon said that the borough council was urging the Board to release more sections. Three had already been leased but the lessees did not appear to be making any move to build.

Mr W. Hunter suggested that the lessees might not be in a position to build just now and should be given a chance to sell their leases. Another Side There was another side to the picture Mr H. Brabant pointed out. Lessees wanted to build decent premises. This would probably cost about £BOOO. In his letter the Minister of Works stated that at the present time was an acute shortage of labour and building materials, particularly cement, and the building industry w is fully committed with work in hand. It was "still necessary to restrict building operatj)Dps to 'those projects which hold the highest degree of esentiality in the public interest. In these circumstances, applications in the commercial field in excess of £3OOO in value can only be considered in relation to the priority demands of hydro-electric schemes schools, hospitals, housing, etc. The Building Controller has however, recently given favourable-con-sideration to many commercial and industrial projects where public interest has been paramount and will continue to do so the greatest extent possible. If applications in this category were received-from Whakatane, the most sympathetic consideration possible would be given, the Minister concluded.