A TEMPORARY GARAGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 5

A TEMPORARY GARAGE

POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY COUNCIL When the Post and Telegraph Department recently sought permission from the Christchurch City Council to build a temporary wooden garage in Durham street, on property owned by the St. John Ambulance Brigade, it was told that the by-laws required construction in fire-resistant materials. The department was told, however, that approval might be given if the department would guarantee to remove the building within a definite period, say three years. This was reported to the council last evening by the housing and town planning committee. The report stated that the department, in reply said that the new garage, for which the temporary building was to be a substitute in the meantime, was being accorded the highest priority and would be included in next year’s programme. In present conditions, however, it waS not possible to state that the temporary building would not be required for more than three years. The department would give an assurance that it woulo vacate the building as soon as the permanent one was ready, but one of the conditions of the lease was that the lessor was given the right to purchase the temporary buildings at the end of the department’s occupancy. The St John Ambulance Brigade advised the council that the lease was to be for three years with a right of renewal for a further two. There was to be a provision that the department would remove the building at the end of the term, but if the department did not require the building the brigade was to have the option of purchase. The committee explained that the proposal was to construct two buildings with materials prefabricated for use in the Pacific. Tne main building would be -160 ft by 40ft, and the one south of it 40ft by 20ft The committee suggested that if a permit was to be given the north wall should be of fire-resistant materials or the whole building moved 10ft from existing buildings. This would mean the elimination or the relocation of the smaller building. This course was agreed to.