BRISK BUILDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22300, 24 December 1935, Page 13

BRISK BUILDING

INCREASE DURING YEAE ACTIVITY IN SUBURBS MARKED IMPROVEMENT MANY NEW DWELLINGS A further large increase in the city • and a phenomenal increase in the inner suburban districts are outstanding features of the building returns of Auckland local bodies for the year up to the. middle of the present month, as compared with the corresponding period last year. The total value of the permits issued by 17 authorities during the period was £1,007,210, compared with £684,864 in 1934, an increase of £322,348, or about 47 ]>er cent. As the increase last year was also in the vicinity of 50 per cent, it is obvious that a large and sustained improvement in the building trade has occurred in Auckland during the past two years. t In the city the increase was £100,153, or a little over 21 per cent, but the most remarkable improvement has occurred in the nearer suburbs. Permits to the value of £291,403 were issued in the boroughs of Mount Eden, Mount One Tree Hill, Onehunga and Newmarket and the road district of Mount Roskill, up to the middle of the month, compared with £126,412 for a similar period last year. The increase was £J64,991, over 130 per cent. Otahuhu and North Shore The effect of the revival in building was little felt in the nearer suburbs in 1934, when the figures were only slightly above those for 1933, whereas the upward trend had already made itself obvious in the city, there being an increase of more than 70 per cent. Only a few of the outer suburban areas have failed to show an increase compared with last year, and on the other hand some of the more distant suburbs have shown exceptionally large advances, the returns for Otahuhu being almost four times as great as in 1931. The combined total for the four North Shore boroughs, £59,962, is £22,248 higher, while that for six of the outer districts, £83,309, shows an increase of £35,004. Figures lor Areas The following tables give the 1935 and 1934 figures for the areas for which tho comparative record is available: —• METROPOLITAN AREA 1935 1934 Auckland City .. £572,536 £472,383 Mount Eden . .. 65,682 29,796 Mount Albert . .. 50,916 25,598 One Tree Hill . .. 46,696 23,970 Onehunga .. » .. 32,527 13,205 Newmarket . .. 14,297 3,555 Mount Roskill .. 75,285 30,288 £863,939 £598.795 NORTH SHORE BOROUGHS Takapur.a .. _>. £31,244 £17,538 Devonport .. •. 22,220 10,749 Birkenhead .. .. - 3,892 6,644 Korthcote .. .. 2,606 2,783 £59,962 - £37,714 OUTER ARRAS Manukau County .. £21,650 £26,860 Otahuhu .. .. 38,163 9,853 Papatoetoe .. •. 16,988 6,352 Manurewa .. 2,136 1,185 Papakura .. .. 2,787 2,605 Glen Eden .. .. 1,585 ' 1,500 £83,309 £48,355 Grand totals .. £1,007,210 £684,864 In addition, the year has witnessed brisk buildiiig activity in the WaiteI mata County, where permit# to the value of £28,493 were issued, and Ellerslie Town District, £9189. There was a decrease at New Lynn, where the total was £1974. The improvement in economic conditions has undoubtedly been largely responsible for the amount of building, while the Unemployment Board subsidy has had an invigorating influence. .Permits for the erection of several large buildings have been issued, but the construction of flats and dwellings has contributed greatly to the activity in the trade. In the city and 17 neighbouring districts 812 permits for new dwellings were issued, nearly twice as many as last year. .

Houses in the Suburbs The activity in house building was particularly noticeable in the suburbs. The value of permits for new dwellings in the city was somewhat less than half the total, but in many suburbs the erection of houses accounted for from two-thirds to six-sevenths of the value of permits issued. —n The following table shows the number and value of permits for new dwellings issued in the districts in question:— Permits Value Auckland City .. .. 296 £244,973 Mount Eden .. . • 46 47,407 Mount Albert .. .. 57 30.655 One Tree Hill .. •• 23 19,136 Onehunga .. .. 40 20,415 Newmarket .. .. 1 4,170 Mount Roskill .. .. 77 43,606 Takapuna . .. .. 34 25,567 Devonport .. ~ 18 15,39' i Birkenhead .. .. 6 3,213 Northcote 3 1,594 "Waiteniata County .. 122 24,000 Manukau County .. 42 15,215 Pupakura 4 2,220 Papatoetoe .. .. 26 15,697 Manurewa .. .. 3 1,136 New Lynn . .. .. 3 962 Ellerslio .. .. .. 11 6,231 Totals .. .. ..812 £521,669 An analysis of the figures shows the average cost of a new home was £642. The cost vnried greatly in different suburbs. In the city the average was £828; in Mount Eden, £1031; Devonport, £855; One Tree Hill, £832; Takapuna, £752; Papatoetoe, £604; Mount IJoskill, £566; Mount Albert, £538; Onehunga, £510; Manukau County, £362; and Waitemata County, £197. In the latter district, where more houseg were erected than in any area except the city, many beach shacks are included.

PALMERSTON ACTIVITY LARGE NUMBER OF HOUSES [by telegraph—own correspondent] PALMERSTON NORTH, Monday The year has seen the greatest activity in the building trade in Palmerston North since 1930. Permits issued by the City ' Council for the current calendar year have reached a total value of £146,641, which represents a considerable advance over last year's total of £84,631. Included in this year's aggregate are 107 new houses, estimated to cost £76,451. Tho record year for house construction was 1926, when 220, costing £201,957, were built.