REBUILDING ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18410, 17 June 1925, Page 13

REBUILDING ENGLAND.

J- A VAST PROJECT. o ——— } ■- crcc t two and a half million houses v ' -'"the next fifteen years for the accom- ' deflation of twelve and a half million f %. , roD ie»i, and children, is tho probi' fm'now absorbing builders and archit«te in England. . tx , ' From the immense size of the contract it would appear that about one- •' rter of the present population of *'rtg United Kingdom needs to be rehoascd. Those -who have seen slums in *tbe OW Country may ue able to believe that this is a fa,-1. Jfo doubt the construction of 2,500,OOb hollies in, one contract or scheme gg-havc been unthinkable prior to Mb, But if the war has left no other TcSduum of good, it has accustomed the G £«rnmcnt to think in large figures, people who were taught to see -without ' ibleoching the destruction of battleships tosting £3,000,000 apiece in a few minrfH ore now able to think Hint the tcifllding of half London and tho.pro- , T j a jjnl towns is not a financial or physical impossibility, and if it is to save (So nation's body and soul it is worth doing the job. . £oans fov the construction of the lorflcs will be spread over a period of jj&y'years, and it is expected that the dwellings, when built, will servo the needs 0* the people for two generations. Presumably the loans referred to are Joans to be raised by the Government wtcrewth to build the houses. The qucsti«i of whether tho dwellings shall be i Jet to the occupants or sold to them on long terms is not discussed by the Town planning Commission reporting on the ' project- A s tenancy occupation is the t tonjinon rub in England, however, it iilnot likely that any new scheme of Jopo ownciship is to bo launched. ,TBongh the erection' of two and a llJf million houses is a, building project before which the imagination \>f quite optimißtic. people might reel, there jS"no 4 doubt that the job is. beirfg dis- ' #j!*ed with the fixed resolution that it "jhall'bo carried out. ' condensed fcport of the CommisBWtt gets light down to details, and in ts£ sense not only convoys the imprcsjJiVof a sound purpose, but gives off loWvdry practical hints on the rightii*jM[o" study the housing problem en Inisio; and particular points. For exainplc:— /Itvhaa been estimated that in -the Mjo'of male members of the normal " ijffliJy at least fifty per cent, of the fc'betweoß cradle and grave is passjtfthiror the. four walls of the home., j'/'lajtto case of housewives tho propor- .[ tion. will, as a rule, bo quite seventy Upefreent. ' . * "* If riheiCommittoc feel, therefore, that-it yriheir duty to express the view that adequate thought, and. cavo are 'jfjvotcd to yie qualitative problems of fusing—as distinct from quantitative ZJUblcms —grave and irremediable J 4fendors may be committed., ■flj/Ehb problems . which confront the /wiled architect in designing a house to jWbuilt at a nipdorato cost is a difficult. mJJ' It is imperative ,that the house ,A|l6uld provide art'adequate, shelter. It "M*!" 0, essential that tho standards of and accommodation shall be such 3q9to enable the occupants of >- the |Mse;to enjoy. the comforts of a--well-jyljprpd- family lifo in a modern coni- ( these grounds; • tho ".. Committee Iptbrait that the following conditions ipipd bo met in tho administration of /I|jte%tional housing policy. 'Mttouses to Hav« Three Bedrooms. Section_.i|of. trio".Housing: Act jsja924, S' vo i" eas °riable preference to wAgcH-families>in letting their houses. JsratCommittee, thereforej trVgo that yMI& Authorities should . adopt the &|{|p|that cottages of''-the'.three-bed- . jgllfftype should.in the. rnajority;; of jMues'bo provided. .''"."■■ ■■ this recommendation the £(MiM*ttcs> recognise that the provision tlfflibuses of the two-bedroom type* is to meet the need of elderly tSM'-new-mnrried people.' In the'case; ' |}Sfergo J families,. however, it: is essehtho of a*proper 'fflMdard of civilised life ? that arrangeshould ba made jbo, secure the IgpTation of the children 'i,rinw 4i> maturity. The .floor, measuroIf each'-'bedroom shduld bo sufßlargo .to accommodate a. double le-'cessqryr* ■' : .' ; ".';' : ' • ~/v''"':'. ..'..-' Dorhmittee recognise; thttb;.- these generally I '",involve the csu>ri of: houses approaching da f '950 'super 'feet prescribed in feipg 'Acts of ;1923 ; ,and 1924. £ ■.".;'■•'' ■,." Taxlovapl recommend "that, a fable* proportion: :<>f ;"■ paflour should bo'built -under'--file hous--genie's'; of "local authorities. As earlier, upwards of seventy per f,4he time in the lives of hoiise- - -within; the four' walls home. Their desire to be prowitli a "best room," however deserves tho deep respect of all; ,„,, jaus e the importance to the' |»pfeof encouraging the building up mMaaemiate standards of' home com-weli-being. The value of the Iwtflouj.for home study'*by children jP|pW,«ot be overlooked., - Wido-fronted- Hoyse^ should be broad rather ifSlMsep, 'n' order to securb that all have 4mple light. Back lipejporis should be avoided, and all Bhould ba brought under the fllJfiP^? 001 '- In the old type of workoottage/ the room most used is "wSbP 1 i< e mi:)St glo° m y- livingJmffiß , n W be the sunniest and pleasin the hoijs'e.: .

I Architectural Design", •mnu'ttee urge local authorise steps to secure >hat the lable architectural skill shall yefl in order to ensure that in regard to the» internal of houses—including pro-labour-saving de%icos—but gard to the external arrange- ■ design, the best, results are This can be done/ without '. cost, especially if advantage of the possibility of suitably houses and varying the layt.particular sites and to avoid Bathroom, nmittoe welcome the provision m Schedule 11. of tho l<m Act, under which, as a condihe giving of subsidies in aid building a fixed bath must be in a separate apartment, ex--10 otherwise decided by tho )fvHealth upon tho reconimenthe Local Authority. ■. > tnmittee further advise that a al proportion of thd area of a Wienie—at least ten per cent, ted—should bo devoted to reground, playgrounds for chilppen spaces, on should be given to tho of arterial roads, so that ex--6n future road improvements i and customary provisions reihe width autl "construction of d should bo relaxed under conopen planning. Provided that l»ce is given between houses 'te sides of residential streets

IfflHgiP&tted at foot of next colump.)