New concept in rental housing considered

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 3

New concept in rental housing considered

Housing division plans for a new concept of rental housing and flat development were now under consideration, the Minister of Housing (Mr Fraser) said in Christchurch yesterday 7 when opening the annual conference of the New Zealand Society of Master Plumbers.

“Not only are these I units pleasing to the eye, but they have been designed along the lines of the town-house concept with proper emphasis being given to the design and layout of kitchens, laundries and bathi rooms,” said Mr Fraser.

Changes in the design of i State houses were long overidue. as this aspect of housing had been deliberately kept the ’poor relative, he said. Masses lof monotonous, box-like i houses could hardly enhance I living conditions, and al- | though that type of housing was relatively cheap to build it formed a breeding ground for social problems. With future housing estates I there would be a closer look iat the use of recreational ; areas, parks, trees and shrubs. Housing programmes i would be designed to suit the natural topography, and no ! longer would every piece of I vegetation be bulldozed from the building sites — as had ibeen done all too often in the past. Sections would be landscaped so as to be attractive from the start. The Government was also concerned with encouraging a balanced community, and he could see greater use being made of the reciprocal purchase scheme, said Mr Fraser. Under this scheme, which so far had been mainly restricted to the Auckland; area, building sites were exchanged between private subdivisions and State house development areas.

The strongest need for ; housing was in the family sec- i tor, but the Government in- i tended to help all levels of the community needing hous- 1 ing, he said. It had long been ; concerned about the plight of ■ many pensioners and senior i citizens and was now in a i position to do something i about it. An intensive review of the I whole aspect of pensioner < housing was already under i way. It was easy to find fault i with the present pensioner 1 accommodation. i Many of the defects in size i and layout, said Mr Fraser. I were the inevitable outcome of circumstances over which ■ local authorities had had i limited control and which i sprang from the previous I j Government’s policy towards , housing the elderly. Specially designed homes';

and fittings were needed to meet the physical requirements of the elderly, said Mr Fraser. This was brought home by the number who had accidents while bathing. Consideration should be given to installing lower or even sunken baths in pensioner units. Properties in city centres had tended to become dilapidated from age and lack of maintenance, he said, and miserable living conditions had resulted. The urban renewal scheme had been introduced to alleviate this but had achieved little. To encourage the owners of older homes to improve their properties, the Government was considering a more realistic approach to lending for restoration and improvement. This would have to take its place in the order of 1 priorities.