BUILDING SITES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 25, 20 November 1945, Page 6

BUILDING SITES

A GROWING SHORTAGE

EARLY AMENDMENT URGED

Great difficulty was being experienced in acquiring building sites in the smaller towns through-out the country, said Mr W. Sullivan (National Bay of Plenty) the Estimates in the House of Representatives. The prices, approved by the Land Sales Committees made, it uneconomic in many cases for owner to subdivide a property into town sections. For instance there i were certain boroughs; and towns 'that had been valued ten years previously. An owner might want to subdivide five, or six acres for town building sites, but with existing roading, survey and other subdivision al costs on top of the original cost of the property the priccs at which he could afford to sell probably exceeded the valuation of town sections on the other .side of the road. The Land Sales Committees took the view that they would not allow subdivided areas to he sold at & price in {xcess of existing values or 1912 values and that made it uneconomic

for many owners to subdivide their properties. The result was that in many towns it was almost impossible to obtain building sites. The Minister should investigate the position and see whether he could not assist the Land Sales Committees to overcome the problem. The values would have to be raised in some of those areas. Was there, any reason why properties offered for sale at £300 or less should not be excluded from the operations of the. Land Sales Committees altogether ? In many country towns sections could be bought for from £60 to £200 ? and 'it. was unlikely that prospective purchasers of such sections would be exploited by the owners under normal conditions. Mr Sullivan urged that the. Government should give consideration to excluding all properties of £300 and less from the Act.