STATE HOUSING BLOCKS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24983, 18 September 1946, Page 5

STATE HOUSING BLOCKS

PRIVATE SALE OF SOME SECTIONS

GOVERNMENT’S PLANS (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 17. The Government has decided, in planning the development of major housing schemes such as Tamaki, in Auckland, and the Porirua area, in Wellington, to make provision for a number of building sections which will be available to private owners who intend to build their own homes. Preference will be given to former servicemen. This was announced by the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) to-day. He added that the Government had no intention whatever of becoming Xhe sole builder of homes and recognised that in areas where there was a scarcity of building sites it should make provision for the man who was anxious and willing to erect his own home. “I wish to emphasise that the Government desires to give every encouragement to people who want to build their own homes,’’ said Mr Semple. “Probably the best encouragement would be making available suitable fully serviced.building sites.” The Tamaki scheme would make provision for approximately 8000 houses, complete with all services and amenities, and the Wellington scheme approximately the same number. Each scheme, when fully developed, would each represent in size a city somewhat larger than Palmerston North.

Mr Semple said the acquisition and development of large areas of land for housing could best be dealt with by the Housing Construction Department, and when sections were made available to the public they would be complete with all services, including water supply, sewerage, stormwater, and electric light, and would front on modern roads. In planning the development of these large areas, provision would be macte for all necessary amenities and up-to-date social services—shops, community centres, schools, and recreation areas. Mr Semple said it was not the intention of the Government to make profits out of the development of land and the sale of sections to the public, and prices would not exceed a fair market valuation. “It is probable,” he said, “that blocks containing sections of various sizes will be set aside for disnosal to applicants, but the matter will receive careful consideration bv the Housing Construction Department in the general planning of the areas concerned. Although some considerable time might elanse before the development of reading and servicing of those areas would be sufficiently far advanced to enable the sale of sections, procedure had recently been arranged among the departments concerned, and the actual disposal of the sections would be the responsibility of the Lands and Survey Department.