SINGLE-ROOMED FLATS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20341, 23 August 1929, Page 12

SINGLE-ROOMED FLATS.

PERMISSION DECLINED.

ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL.

TOWN-PLANNING PRINCIPLES. Alarm at tho prospect of (ho const ruction of large blocks of one-room fiats leading to slum conditions in Auckland was oxprosscd at tho meeting of the City Council last evening, when several applications for permits for tho erection of such buildings were declined. One application concerned the suggested erection of a six or seven-storeyed block in Vincent Street, tho flats to bo stnglo-roomed apartments, to the number of 54. Another concerned single-roomed flats on tho ground froor of a Symonds Street structure.

The Town-Planning Committoo recommended that all such applications should bo declined, as it was thought the establishment of this class of building did not conform to approved principles of town-planning and it would interfere with tho amenities of tho neighbourhood. Tho committee further sought authority to declino future applications where tho accommodation provided was less than two rooms, with kitchen and conveniences in each separate occupation, or where tho occupants did not have tho common uso of dining rooms or sitting rooms in the building, in addition to tho room occupied by thorn as a flat. Doubtful Jurisdiction. A statement from tho director of townplanning said that ho was doubtful whether one-room fiats camo within the scopo of tho Town Planning Act in New Zealand as they did in most countries, and he saw no good reason for refusing a permit for one-room flats with adequate conveniences, provided that tho number of occupants wa3 restricted to ono single porson or ono married couple in each. Tho buildings wero a feature in most largo cities and a convenience to business men and women requiring sleeping accommodation only. lie himself had designed such blocks of fiats in London containing <lllO and tworoomcd suites with central heating, cooking and restaurant facilities. Cooking of any description should bo prohibited within tho ouc-roomcd flat itself, however. Restrictions could be imposed cither by by-law or embodied in tho provisions of tho council s town-planning scheme.

An opinion from tlio city solicitor said that 0110 of tho proposed buildings referred io him complied with the present by-laws. Tito only provision in the Town Planning Act having any bearing on one-roomed flats was a section enabling a local authority to prohibit- the erection of a building not conforming with the recognised principles of townplanning, or interfering with tho amenities of tho neighbourhood. A Right of Appeal.

If permits wero refused under this section thero remained a right of appeal to tho Town-Planning Board. Thero might bo soino difficulty, however, in establishing either of tho disqualifications mentioned in tho section referred to, should tho applicant take tho matter to appeal. Mr. E. J. I'helan, remarking that the committee's recommendation, if approved, would affect quite a lot of proposed building in tho city, questioned tho right of tho council to refuso permits. Jjlp I'. Bloodworlh said that recent applications to build blocks of one-roomed flats wero a new departure, occasioning serious consideration. For years the ideal had been for tho people to livo in independent, residences standing on their own sections, tho minimum area of which was coverned, but tho one-roomed flat idea appeared retrograde and savoured of ill conditions in tho cities of some of the older countries. •' I consider that one-roomed flats are a backward step, leading to slum conditions at a timo when we are providing cheap transport to encourage pcoplo to livo in open areas moro distant from the centres of tho city," said Mr. J. V Paterson. " Origin of Slum Districts." Mr. Grey Campbell: Slums overseas have had their origin in such buildings as these. They change the character of a district. Our forefathers lived near tho Town Hall, tho vicinity of which was then considered an aristocratic neighbourh°A Member: It is still. (Laughter.) Mr. J. It- Lundon quoted tho statement of the director of town planning, stating that if proper control wero exercised there appeared little danger. Miss Ellen Melville reminded the council that some of the plans submitted indicated that tho rooms would bo without cross-ventilation and that the occupants would have to cook, eat and sleep in tho one room. If tho restrictions suggested by the director of town planning were all observed, many of the objections would bo removed. Certainly such flats were a great convenience. The recommendations of the committee were adopted.