BUILDING PERMITS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1918, Page 4

BUILDING PERMITS.

ALLEGED BREACH OF BY-LAWS. WO COUNCILLORS CONCERNED!. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. At last night's meeting of the works committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council application was mode by Cr. Griffiths for permission to erect five cottages on a block of land on Whiteley street. The application was rendered necessary on account of the fact that the by-laws do not permit the erection ol dwellings which have frontages only on to right-of-ways. The plan of the proposed utilisation of the area showed that only two of the cottage* faced Whiteley street and the other three were to be approached by a laid out i ight-of-way 20 feet wide, leading from Whiteley street. -.The Mayor said that some time age the Council had passed a by-lav to the wee that the erection of no beildin* should be started in the borough without a permit being issued. In the present case the buildings were already in course of construction. He was very surprised to learn that, and more surprised that the two persons most concerned were connected with the Council. It was also decided that no right-of-way should be used as a front entrance to any dwelling and if the present application 'was grant ed it would mean that three of the five houses would face on to a right-of-wav and only two would face a proper street frontage. He admitted that housing accommodation was urgently neaded in the borough. The Council should look howc\er, and not merely consider the requirements of the present day. He was opposed to the application on principle and moved that it be not granted. The motion was seconded by Cr Havuon. ' ' Or. Browne, as the builder and architect concerned, said he had submitted plans to the Inspector at Mrs. Mann's place and he had been told that provid- < ed he was complying with the by-lawi lie could go ahead with the work. The Mayor said lie took exception t« the method of showing plans to the inspector at any place except his office! ihat was the proper place for the in. spector to inspect plans and he believed it was provided that he should have s« days in which to consider them. ■ Continuing, Cr. Browne said he had boon waiting to have a consultation with the inspector regarding assistance in formulating a satisfactory drainaca scheme, If the Borough had its drainage system m that locality there would bo no question as to where to make th« connections. He claimed that the plant had been shown to the inspector tw« months before the work was started. Jhe Mayor said the plans had beei deposited at the inspector's office only il f> o clock on Saturday night last. Cr Griffiths said that as the proprletoi ot the cottages to be erected he wouH certainly not vote on any motion dealiiu with the application. He was certain!; surprised to learn that no permit hitf been issued an,l more so to learn thai there was likely to be any trouble ii that connection. His idea in erectim the cottages was to relieve, if possibh the present condition regarding the se&i city of houses in that locality. Th houses to be erected would provide a cejfc tain amount of luxury compared with thS class of houses availably for renting at present, which were certaialy of a shm* my character. He thought he doing something to advance the interests ol tho borough by erecting the cottages. Regarding the objection to houses front* •ng on to a 20-foot right-of-way, lie sard ho could not see the reason for requiring a 66-foot road. As a matter of fact, the law would not permit him to offer more than a 20-foot roadway. He thought that tho at that provision was made for a septic tank was a sufficient guarantee that the fact that provision was made lor would be thoroughly satisfactory. Cr. Collis said he sympathised with the position so far as Cr. Griffiths wm concerned. There was undoubtedly a breach of the by-laws and lie was not going to vote in favor of that with hi® eyes wide open. Cr. Short said he would like the matter held over, so that councillors might give more careful consideration than was possible at such short notice. * The Mayor said that the qturthxt was a matter of principle. No delay would alter hia opinion on that point. He did not agree with the Act that enfoteed a 66ft roadway but that was not for the Council to consider. The Act had to h# observed, and the Council could hot allow houses to be erected to front on a road of 20ft wide. If the Counil sanfltifinfrfl the principle in the present case they could not refuse any other similar application: which might come before them. Tho New Plymouth of 2a years' time would not be like the New Plymouth of to-day. He had no personal feeling in the matter, hut was merely concerned'-with tho principle. Cr. Griffiths said he thought the matter should be considered on its merits. It was an entirely new proposition and he u'aa afraid councillors did not realise what it meant to the borough. Personally he was not conversant with the bylaws relating to right-of-ways. He pointoil out that in some places there was eight houses on an acre block, and he thought his proposal to erect five houses on one acre would afford comparative luxury so far as breathing apftce was concerned. Cr. Collis moved, as an amendment, that the matter he deferred for a week. He said councillors oould then visit the site and see for themselves what the actual position was. Cr. Short seconded the amendment. Cr. Browne said that in the casee in question there would bo doufbk the amount of air space that was require*! by tho by-law. In addition to that it must be remembered that there was the railway and the sea on one side and there could be no possibility of overcrowding in that direction. He reiterated that the plans for the cottages haa been submitted to the inspector. The Mayor said that so far as that was concerned the plans had not been .presented in a proper and regular way, and that operations had been commenced without a permit. On the amendment being put, it was carried on the voices.