HOUSING PLANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26782, 27 May 1948, Page 4

HOUSING PLANS

CORSTORPHINE AREA GROWING SETTLEMENT SITES AT LIBERTON Three hundred and four houses, have been completed in the Government housing area at Corstorphine, and families are occupying . the dwellings. A further 104 are now under construction, and 76 contracts have been let, although the work has not yet been started. Thirty-four contracts should be let in the near future. Giving this information to the Daily Times yesterday, an official of the Housing Construction Department said that in time to come' about 890 houses would comprise the Corstorphinc housing area. It is estimated at the present time that the settlements at Wakari and Corstorphine cover about the same area. Some months ago the department thought that the ultimate number of houses to be built in the Corstorphine area would be 420, because of difficulties in getting suitable land and problems of drainage and water supplies. Since that time, however, plans nave been changed, and the department has another area in view to extend the present settlement. This will in time bring the number up to approximately 800. Roading and engineering has been completed for the building contracts which have been let at Corstorphine, and the sites have been developed ready for building. A block of four shoos with attached residences is now under construction, and" these should be completed by the end of the year. One of the shops will be occupied by the co-operative concern, which is at present doing business in temporary premises. As the Corstorphine settlement expands, another block of shops will be built. Plans for the full development of the new housing area have been made. Ait extensive tree-planting _ programme will be carried out, both in the streets and in the public reserves. Plenty of land has been set aside for recreation and playing areas; which will include a football ground, tennis courts, and, nossiblv. a bowling green. The levelling of the football ground has been completed. Sites have also been planned for churches and a public school. . An endeavour was being made to increase- the building programme in Otago and Southland this year, the official said. Whether the department erected more houses this year than last, however, depended largely oh the supply of materials which still presented problems. Discussing other plans for building in the city area, he said that 110 sites for houses had been secured at Liberton. Work had already been started on road construction and it was anticipated that builders would be at work on the houses at an early date. Within the metropolitan area the department had plans for 500 .building sites.