NEW HOMES IN BRITAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1934, Page 15

NEW HOMES IN BRITAIN

The face of-Britain-is being changed by the biggest series of building schemes ever undertaken in this country, states the . London "Daily Express." Since ihe beginning of the year 146 leading local authorities have reported to the Ministry of Labour that they have approved plans for building, totalling the huge sum of £35,000,000. ■Never has there been an approach to this figure. Tie nearest to.' it was in the spring of 1929,'When-the corresponding total was' £26,500,000. Already there has been an increase of nearly 25 per cent, in building schemes, compared with the same period of last year. In the great majority of these schemes the actual building has not started. Already the level of unemployment among building operatives has dropped below, 20 per cent. - In some districts there have been Teports of shortage of skilled labour. ' It seems likely, with this boom on the way, that there will be a pronounced shortage.. Tho striking feature of the new proposals is the diversity of the schemes. It is not surprising, perhaps, that the bulk of the plans are for dwelling" Tiouses. There are good signs—of even greater. interest rthan; to;; the building industry—that millions are to be spent nn new factories, workshops, offices, and'shops. This is the summary of what the Ministry of Labour says will be spent:— : Dwelling ' houses £23,063,000 factories and work- ' - shops : •. £ 1,840,400 Shops and officer ... £1,454,500 Churches and schools £2,089,400 Building extensions and alterations ... £2,W6,600 The building boom is not confined to any particular area. It is spread over all parts of the United Kingdom. Outer London leads with plans totalling inoro than £8,000,000. Then come the north and west midland counties with more than £5,400,000 worth of building. Most of the plans for new factories and workshops, are to be carried out in the midlands. These total nearly £900,000, compared with Outer London's total of £610,000.

Scotland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and the south-eastern counties have heavy commitments on church and school plans.

In the Concert Chamber tomorrow Mr. 11. St. John will commence a series of Bible addresses. Mr. H; St. John has observed Christian work and missionary activities in over fifty different countries, and studies the Scriptures in the original Hebrew and Greek. Tomorrow afternoon's topic, "The Shadow on the Sundial," will be followed by a Gospel address in the evening at 7. Full particulars 'appear in the church notices In this issue.