BRITISH HOUSING

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 December 1946, Page 7

BRITISH HOUSING

7000 COMPLETED EVERY MONTH COSTS INQUIRY PROPOSED ' [N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.] LONDON,. Dec. 2. The total number of permanent and temporary houses completed ■in • Britain at the end of October was 110,000, with 207,000 under construction. This brings the total accommodated since March last year to 270,000 families, including 134,000 in the, London area.

The tenth monthly housing report issued by the Ministry of Health shows that during October -.private builders continued to produce completed permanent houses at a‘ greater rate than local authorities. Since the Government building scheme first came into operation, private builders have completed 20,000 permanent houses in England and Wales, and local authorities 10,000. As the result of a ruling by the Ministry of Works that local authorities should build four houses to every one produced under private licence, the number of houses begun by local authorities increased by more than 12,000 during October, while the number begun by private builders remained practically the same as for September. The Minister, of Health (Mr. Aneurin Bevan) has expressed the conviction that 100,000 permanent houses should be completed in Britain by the end of the year, but on the present figures it appears most unlikely that this hope will be realised. The present rate of completion is roughly 7000 a month, and at the end of October 60,000 will still be required to reach the figure quoted by Mr. Bevan. The immediate objective of the Ministry of Works is 750,000 new dwellings (either permanent or temporary) which,' it is considered, will relieve the most pressing demands. The long-range objective, however, is that originally laid down by the Coalition Government —3,000,000 to 4,000,000 new dwellings within a

period of 10 to 12 years. The Times, which recently carried out a comprehensive housing survey considers that if the present' leeway is to be overtaken at a more satisfactory rate than at present, the Government must carefully examine the whole basis of costs in the building industry and provide more, inducement to builders to push afiead with construction. The survey claims that the present ceiling prices which .limit expenditure upon various types of housing are not in relation to present costs, and are gravely hampering the industry.