CONCLUSIONS OF SEMINAR

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29325, 3 October 1960, Page 8

CONCLUSIONS OF SEMINAR

Cheap Money “Unfair”

The need for adequate finance for the redevelopment of the city's residential area, and that the City Council should be encouraged to use its powers compulsorily to take over slum areas were conclusions reached by a seminar on town planning held in Christchurch. during the week-end. Arranged by the Adult Education department of the University of Canterbury the seminar was attended by representatives from local authorities, government departments, churches, surveyors, architects and others associated with the building industry. Other decisions reached by the seminar were that the present policy of providing cheap money for new housing subsidised by the taxpayer was unfair to other house-owners.

State Advances Corporat’on money should be available for older homes, as it would increase a more efficient use of the houses. Many were owned by older people who did not need the space but who were unable to find an attractive selling price. Where redevelopment of central housing was undertaken it was agreed that there should be spot development of two or three acres with the housing being designed for diversity of users, income and age. The finance for the rehabilitation of these areas should follow the pattern operating in the United States, There the loss made on reclaimed land was borne in the ratio of the Government twothirds and the local authority onethird.

The seminar emphasised that any scheme of rehabilitation should be based on an over-all concept of the problem and the State and local bodies should work together in close liaison. Also there should be a fair rating system that would avoid persons living in the city subsidising the rates of those in outlying areas.