“CREATING SLUMS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 749, 23 August 1929, Page 11

“CREATING SLUMS”

CITY COUNCIL BANS ONE-ROOM FLATS OVER-RIDES OWN BY-LAWS Fearing that to allow the construction of one-roomed flats in Auckland would be to encourage the beginning of slum areas, the City Council, on the recommendation of its Town Planning Committee, declined last evening to approve two applications for such flats in the City. rpHE question came up when Mr. S. L. Wallath, builder, asked through his solicitor, on what grounds the Town Planning Committee’ had refused a permit for one-room flats on the lower floor of a block of flats being erected in Symonds Street. He had perused the by-laws and Town Planning Act, and could not find anything which provided that the consent could properly be refused to the construction of such fiats. The Acting City Engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, reported that this was dealt with by the Town Planning Committee on June 2S, when it was suggested that the lower floor be remodelled to provide for flats of not less than two rooms and conveniences, which must comply with the by-laws and he would, therefore, recommend that the matter be referred to the city solicitor for his opinion. RIGHT OF APPEAL The solicitor, Mr. J. Stanton, reported that it appeared the building complied with the by-laws, there being no prohibition of one-roomed flats. "The only provision in the Town Planning Act that would appear to have any bearing on the question is that which enables a local authority to prohibit the erection of a building which does not conform to recognised and approved principles of town planning, or which would interfere with the amenities of the neighbourhood,” said Mr. Stanton. If the council is of opinion that the building comes within the terms of this section, it may refuse the permit, and there is then a right of appeal to the Town Planning Board, that the question is one of fact, but he feels that there may be some difficulty in establishing either of the disqualifications mentioned in the section should the applicant take the matter to appeal. MARLBOROUGH MANSIONS The engineer reported further that he had received plans of Marlborough Mansions, Ltd., which proposed to erect a six or seven-storey block of flats iu Vincent Street. He reported that it would be observed that the flats were single-room apartments with all modern conveniences, which complied with the requirements of the by-laws in every respect. He asked for directions whether a permit should be issued, it being understood, of course, that proper woi'king plans and specifications were to be submitted before the work was commenced. A sketch view of the Marlborough Mansions, which were designed particularly as “bachelor flats,” has been published in The Sun. The Director of Town Planning, to whom the question was referred, gave the opinion that the matter was directly within the scope of town planning legislation in most countries. He was doubtful as to the powers contained in the New Zealand Act, and he saw no good grounds for refusing a permit for a one-roomed flat with adequate conveniences, provided that efiective control could be maintained over the number of residents who would be permitted to occupy such a flat. In fact, such buildings were a feature in most large cities, and were undoubtedly a convenience to business men and women, who required sleeping accommodation only. The number of occupants of the rooms should be strictly limited to one single person or one married couple to each room, and cooking of any description was prohibited. These restrictions could either be imposed by by-law or embodied in the provisions of the council’s town planning scheme, whichever method it is thought to be the more desirable and effective, and adding that town planning is directly concerned with buildings of this character in order to control the density of population on any given land unit. LOOKING TO FUTURE The committee recommended that both applications in so far as they related to one-room flats be declined, the opinion being that the establishment of that class of dwelling did not conform to recognised and approved principles of town planning, and that buildings of that type having such limited accommodation, would intei - - fere with the amenities of the neighbourhood. The committee further recommended that it be authorised to decline future applications where accommodation provided was less than two rooms, kitchen and conveniences in each separate occupation, or where the occupants did not have the use of dining-rooms or sitting-rooms in the building, in addition to the room occupied by them as a flat. CHAIRMAN’S EXPLANATION In explaining the committee’s recommendations, its chairman, Cr. T. Bloodworth, said a great deal of thought had been given to the matter of flats generally, and the proposals were a particular kind of flat. For years it had been the ideal of Auek~ land housing that the people should live as much as possible in their own homes, on their own sections. “I consider one-roomed flats would be an absolutely retrograde step.” remarked Cr. J. B. Paterson. “It would be leading people in the direction of slum conditions.” Cr. Grey Campbell: From what we have learned of overseas conditions slums begau in such a way as these flats indicate. In the course of time localities change considerably. In the old days the vicinity of the Town Hall was • considered an aristocratic part of the town. A Voice (waggishly): It is still. Continuing. Cr. Campbell said that in a~few years’ time one-roomed fiat areas would become slum districts. Cr. Bloodworth. in answer to a question, said as far as the by-laws were concerned there was no objection. The by-laws were framed for earlier days. In the case of the Marlborough Mansions, if the promoters felt themselves aggrieved they had the right to appeal to the Town Planning Board. The Director of Town Planning, who was incidentally a member of that board, bad designed one-roomed flats in London, but had not seen flats of the type proposed in Auckland. "In any case, what might be a necessity in London does not necessarily apply out here,” remarked Cr. Bloodworth.