Corp. to handle Crown land

Press, 5 December 1979, Page 12

Corp. to handle Crown land

PA Wellington The development and sale of Crown land for residential, holiday, commercial, and industrial purposes has been transferred from the Lands and Survey Department to the Housing Corporation. The Minister of Lands (Mr V. S. Young) said the Government had made this decision after a recent joint re-assessment by the department and the Housing Corporation of their respective roles. It had been agreed it would be administratively' better, and better from the public point of view, that the Housing Corporation should be solely responsible for the provision and offering of urban properties on behalf of the Crown. The Lands and Survey Department will continue to administer land not immediately required by the ■ Housing Corporation for i its present five-year develI opment programme. Where the land was not likely to be required in i the future for urban pur- : poses the department I could lease it, dispose of I it, or administer it until it j was required for a government purpose, Mr I Young said. j All survey requirements for housing subdivisions of Crown land will still be done by the Lands and I Survey Department.