NATIONAL HOUSING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1919, Page 7

NATIONAL HOUSING

OFFICIAL DETAILS OF A GREAT SCHEME. A “LONDON VILLAGE.” The details of the British Government’s Housing Scheme hrti, been' utidfer Serious consideration by the Lodi] Govemiment Board, and it expo-ted that the work of erecting the first houses will be commenced rtlmbst imftibdiately, and be developed fast as the schemes am approved. During the past few weeks the president of the Local Government Board has beeii closely engaged in connection with organisation. A Chief Commissioner in London, ana eight District Commissioners through out England and Wales, will be appointed to administer the scheme ; They will be Jtt@n with Wide knowledge ■ and experience of housing, and will be vested ! with important discretionary powers' in respect to building schemes. A manual is in course of preparation, and will shortly be issued, for use by local authorities and l others as a guide. It will embody plans bl several’ types ‘of houses of the latest designs, and' Type” plans prepared by the. Local Government Board, with special reference to the necessity of ’ planning a , cottage in relation to aspect, so that the living and working rooms may have ag- much sun as possible, whilst" larders ‘ and stores receive as little as possible. The general aim will be to secure that oply ; twelve houses shall be erected to the acre in urban areas, and eight in rural -areas. A-great number of them, in addition to a. kitchen, lapdeiy scullery, three bedrooms, Waihhouee, and bathroom or bath, should, ifr the opinion of the (Local Government Board, be provided with a comfortable living room or parlour, and garden. ■ STAHPAEDISED .FITTING^. ■ Practically all .the essential fittings are being standardised, including doors, windows', kitchen -ranges, baths, bolts, Ifacke, <far4iandls!,' ,'|ajjnd;. geih&ali fit- ; tings, designs for"'which hiive. been prepared, ahd '■««riiples cbossfi. ; Arrange- ■ mente are' being made with the Minis-; try ..of Munition's to' place orders for these standard fittings, and, where prap- ; ticable, existing munition' {actorieg arid ’ works will be utilised Jor their pro- , duetioh, with a view, to providing em-; ployment for as many 'munition Worker's jsa possible: The ]tooai|! ■ Board also supports the ppoppsal that iir districts where there, are buildipg employers of proved ‘capacity the work in connection with the National Housing Scheme-should be given to them by ~ tender in preference' to ■contractors taking up huge contracts from the. centre-- : - . The board, acting in conjunction with the ; London County, Council .is making arrangements for the. erection 4n London; of a-village pf mqdeThpusef. Erich boopa will be a complete model for the ' guidance- of dpcal nutnprities through-; out The, country, both regards ■ arcbjtpcturnl. style land interna] arrangemeats'. The hpnses will erected from the plana -won. the ‘ premiums in ; the recent competition instituted, by the Royal Institute , of British Architects. M-lpy of the suggestions contained in the Tudor-Walters report will algo be carried into effect in the building of these dwellings, and contemplated that standard fittings shall be used in the construction, so that they will be available -at all times as a practical demonstration of the type of house' the Loop! CVveynment jadlyocaArn.. ■ A ! propose] is also under consideration* for the holding'of ,%r.Tradea Exhibition* at which the different concerned in the erect)onj equipment, and furnishing of cottage houses ■ will have an opportunity of displaying to the public their various g<mds. The general policy, adopted by tHp board will be on parallel lines to the policy laid d°wn in' the Tudor-Watts jepprt, apd to the suggestions put, forward by the ;National Housing and , fpwn-Plan-ning Council. One important suggestion, contained in the memorandum su]) mi tied by the latter body is also ip accordance- with the policy of the board, namely, that housing schemes shall be approved by stages, thus saying a great amount of unnecessary work, i THREE STAGES. • , .'"VThe suggestions submitted tp the Loral Government Board by the National Housing and Town-Planning Council with regard to the carrying opt of the •national scheme in- stages, include the following. ■ 1.; Local authorities should jbe asked to send in, through, the district I com, mispionbi’si to the Local] govern meat Boa.rd| at the 'earliest date, definite statements as to their proposals d n d {|f I euob have arispn) • as to the acquisition 'pf 'land, and( thus • render ii possible to deal y?itb the (vital, question as to suitability and adequacy. The details should be those relating, to the questioh of the acquisition of land. ’ This stage should he! passed’ through as quickly as possible,; ihui rendering poissi&le Va passing' on rapidly 'i to the second stage—namely, tbaf, of preparing, a proper lay-out-' of the ..land. Local authorities should’, not;; be i^ ; ged to- prepare lay-out plans be- ; fore; they are reasonably certain, that; the sites’are likely to be approved.! Tbe! preparation of?a' plan of lay-out.for an* tinsuitablp site ? not only represents! energy wasted, but involves the crea- : tion of difficulties between the commas- 1 sioher and the,’local authorities. ; 2. The planning pf the site (Should he; ddlilt with, and v as the honstractipn of; the yoads : and sewers cannot be entered; upon until a plan of Jay : out beeri’. ripprpved, ! local ', authorities' should be i encouraged to' speed up the prepara < tion of estate development plans, Which; should be r in lull accord with irfPdern ideas of town' planning, both in re-' gard to amenity ■; and economy, and : should therefore be prepared by a com * petoht architect or surveyor. Further ivjfeteinoes *are also m/id'e tp lay-out, plang. 3. The proposals of the local author-; ity with regard tiP designs and tyjW ■■ of houses and cognate ' matters' should be submitted to the district commissioner' arid be dealt with'in the same way. ae the lay-out plan. When the proposals of the ‘ local authorities as to fho types and designs rehouses, rents to be' charged, arid other, points- have been finally settled,' thev should • be sent on to ‘ the Central Department for approval, ’and arrangements shorild; then * bo made for the bolding of a-.public ITV- ; auirv bv a housing, inmiector sent by the 'Central Department. M