HUTT VALLEY SETTLEMENT

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 13, 23 August 1928, Page 6

HUTT VALLEY SETTLEMENT

REVENUE TROiM SALE OP

SECTIONS

£300,000 -MARK! IN SIGHT

A statement of the progress of the Hutt Valley Settlement scheme is con: tamed in the annual report on Settlement of Crown Lands presented to Parliament yesterday. It is stated that the purchase price of areas sold to date amounts to £286,510.

'' Steady progress lias been made with, the sales of residential sections within the area, and the prices must be regarded as quite satisfactory," states the report. "Over 700 of these sections have been sold to date, and at least 400 houses have been erected, including many fine residences. Auction sales are being arranged from time to time, and, while the demand for sections may not be quite as keen as it was twelve months ago, the sales must be regarded as satisfactory. The residential sections sold to date have realised £175-900. Roading, drainage, etc is now practically completed and the cost of this work, expended and authorised, amounts to approximately £171,000. Two school sites have been sold, and the sale of two more is nearing completion. One school has already been erected and open for some little time. The attendance" at this school from the day of opening was such that an extension of premises was an immediate necessity. Five church sites have been" disposed. of to - various.

denomination.-, and churches are now being erected on some of the sites.

"An area of about 70 acres has been disposed of to the Railway Department as a site for the railway workshops and as these shops will, it is understood, employ come 860 men^ the commencing of operations at the shops should have an effect upon future sales. The Railway Department have already earmarked a number of sections which are required by employees, but as the sale has not actually been completed these are not taken into account in the figures quoted.

"Negotiations have been entered,into with the Wellington Harbour Board for the erection of a wharf at Point Howard in order to give wharfage accommodation for the benefit of industries commencing in the locality. It is considered that the conditions under which the Harbour Board are prepared to erect the wharf should prove quite satisfactory. As the new town-planning legislation prevents the "establishment of shops except in specified-- cases it was found necessary to : set aside areas for the erection of shops and businesses. One area selected lies immediately opposite the eastern exit of the Woburn Station. The area has been subdivided giving due consideration to the ideas of modern town-planning and it is hoped to arrange a .sale early in May. Judging by the number of inquir ios, there should be, a keen demand for these sections. • •

The purchase price of the areas sold to date amounts to £286,510. The-sec-tions offered and unsold to date ir*^'ber i 5.130 and the reser*r#price is £25-;

S6O. The area still to be offered should! realise in the vicinity of £200,000.

' * Difficulties were met with, owing tothe area being considerably intersected, by private freeholds and as the schemes; progressed it was often found necessary to negotiate with, the private owners for the purchase of additional areas in order that not only should thecomprehensive roading schemue be sat- -*^. isfaetorily carried out, but that theDepartment should get the full benefit. ' of any betterment created by its op>--erations. In most cases the Department has been iiiet quite reasonably by the private owners and as a result there has been a considerable saving in-, expenditure and it is anticipated that there will be quite a satisfactory result from sales of areas acquired in< this manner."