Riccarton trend to flats

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32676, 4 August 1971, Page 18

Riccarton trend to flats

Although the pace has slowed lately, a transformation has been effected in the borough of Riccarton over the last three years in the replacement of old houses by blocks of flats and motels.

Since July, 1968, building permits worth more than slm have been issued by the borough council for the construction of 49 blocks of flats with 110 units valued at $827,924 and for three motels with 28 units, valued at $202,155. The Town Clerk (Mr T. N. Neate) described the trend as “quite imposing,’’ and said that the exchange of houses for flats had occurred chiefly in the south-west corner of the borough—between Riccarton Road and Lincoln Road and Matipo Street and Wharenui Road.

“And there have been very few new houses built in the same period—perhaps no more than 20 in the last three years,” he said. “In every case, I would think, flats or motel units have replaced the older type of house.”

This year’s census showed that the population of the borough had fallen by 2.4 per cent—from 7253 six years ago to 7075. Mr Neate said that while possibly there were more residences, younger people were leaving the district and the flats, generally were occupied by one or at most two persons.

A good number of old houses had also been swallowed up in commercial de-

velopment, he said. Five! houses had been demolished! recently to make a car park I in Division Street, while the I

Riccarton Mall and other commercial building on or near Riccarton Road had taken its toll of houses.