STATE HOUSING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27039, 25 March 1949, Page 4

STATE HOUSING

DEVELOPMENT AT MOSGIEL TWO AREAS ACQUIRED HANDY TO SHOPPING CENTRE Housing development within the borough of Mosgiel is shortly tc be undertaken by the State Housing De&artment. Two blocks of land have een acquired for this purpose. One is in Bush road, to the left of Gordon road, the main thoroughfare through the town, and the ether is in almost a direct line behind the Council Chambers, and is bounded by Green and High streets. Both blocks are veryhandy to the centre of the shopping area. Contracts for the erection of some of the units have already been let and work has commenced. Eacli block will contain approximately 30 houses, and these should be completed within the next 12 months. The Green street-High street block is just over the Mosgiel-Outram branch railway line, and an area of the land lying alongside the railway line has been set aside for the possible building of a railway station. The long-term plan for the district envisages the use of railcars on the Dunedin-Mosgiel line, and with the development of the area referred to, all Mosgiel passenger traffic could be diverted to this new station, which would land people in close proximity to their homes and the shopping area. At the present time the railway station is a considerable distance from Mosgiel proper. The Green street-High street block is in the centre of a built-up area, and while it is pasture land at the moment, it is obvious that with the expansion of the borough it cannot long remain so. It is understood the aim of the Housing Department in this district is to acquire smaller serviced sections for development rather than to buy large blocks requiring the expenditure of a considerable sum of money on them before building operations can be commenced. The Bush road block is portion of a farm acquired after the First World War from the late Mr John Kirk. Known as the Melville Park Settlement, it was cut up for soldier settlers, but gradually drifted back to private holders other than ex-service-men. The present housing development block is portion of one farm facing on to Bush road. A new street was graded through the area some time ago, but the work of pegging out a number of the house blocks has now commenced. Much of the work to be undertaken on this site will be done by carpenter trainees.