CITY BUILDING HAS HAD STEADY YEAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18045, 4 January 1927, Page 12

CITY BUILDING HAS HAD STEADY YEAR.

MANY MORE HOUSES ERECTED IN 1926. Solid growth in all directions and a complete absence of any boom conditions were the main characteristics of the building progress in Christchurch during 1920. From the point of view of those engaged in the building industry, it was a satisfactory year. At no time was there an exceptional rush of work, but steady progress was made month by month throughout the year, keeping all first-class tradesmen regularly employed. Compared with 1925 there was an increase of £165,216 in the value of the building construction authorised by the City Council, the respective totals being £915,584 for 1926, and £750,368 for 1925. This very satisfactory increase was distributed fairly evenly over all classes of buildings. Increases were recorded in every sub division of the city, the greatest improvement being in the inner area, where several important structures, including the municipal concert hall, were put in hand. In every month, excepting March and December, the value of the work authorised by the City Council showed an increase compared with the corresponding month of 1925. In March there was a decrease of £7540. and in December a decrease of £21,573. Against these decreases, however, were large increases such as £49,323 in May, £45.928 in June, and £39.647 in April, which were principally due to the putting in hand of large city structures. NEAR THE MILLION MARK. A shortage of structural steel caused by the coal strike in England was responsible for a slackening of activity in connection with commercial buildings during the latter part of the year, but now that the dispute is at an end there is a prospect of a number of important new works being put in hand The value of new building work in the citv has never yet reached the million mark in any one year, but there is every prospect of passing it next year. The total for the past year, which was an increase in value over 1925. of £165,216, was only £54,416 short of £1.000,000, so it would not require a very great spurt to wipe out the margin. A satisfactory feature of last year’s building activity was the large number of dwellings erected. Of the total of 1305 permits issued by the council no fewer than 725 were for new dwellings. The remainder were for alterations and additions, including a large number of motor garages for existing dwellings, and for commercial structures, etc. The number of new dwellings authorised for erection each month was as follows;—January 59, February 55, March 80, April 68, May 28 June 73, Julv 71. August 45, September 77, October 78, November 46, December 45; total 725. These figures are a substantial increase on those for the previous year. The consequence is that the house shortage which was so very pronounced a few years ago has been caught up and there are now considerably fewer people living in rooms and flats in the city. DETAILS OF PERMITS. The following figures relating to the permits issued by the City Council show the trend of building progress m Christchurch; — Jan.-Dec., Jan.-Dec., 1925. 1926. No. Value. No. Value. Ward. £

BUILDING FEES PAID. The following table shows the building fees paid in the various wards dur-

( are; Outer area St Albans assssa*" .. SEaSSS :: i 57 Hi20t 1 60 64 98.RSS II K7,s:u 33,950 i =11:11! nas& 79 39,482 Totals . . 1223 £750,36S 1305 £515,'581 TVa rd. No. Inc. Dec. Value. Inc. Dee.

rea Outer area \l = 57,181 — 23,358 — ?i£?SS?S m 27 — — 38 still — wooiston ::: ‘WH — MONTHLY TOTALS. 1925. so. Value 1926. No. Value. January ....1 January .. 1 \\ Iris! February March .... 1 April .... 20 85,856 1 4 6,34 4 ll| liiSlf July .’ .’ .’ .' 1 93 43,686 >* 64.111 111 ;?:*?! August September 1 50 52,170 21 71,598 1 30 72,259 1 December 1 If lf!fi Totals 1223 £750,368 1305 £915,584

mg the past Wa rrl. two years: — 1 923. £ s. 1926. £ a. C Tn^e!-Ir M 152 in Outer area SUK :: Linwood S*:$ to 312 JO 335 o 4 45 0 .*5 58 In IVoolStOU 10.1 5 131 0 Totals . £2156 10 £2134 15 MONTHLY TOTALS. 1925. Sr-:::::::::::: si: I*? 15 April May ::::::: ill July 11 September . . ill J m *8 1 >eeembor is:* o Totals £2156 10 £2431 15