View report page

227
Housing
Intrinsically, housing is a constant cycle of regeneration and
the idea that its problems can be 'solved' by a once-and-for-all
rebuilding effort is fallacious.
At the end of 1966, the country's stock of 17¾ million dwellings
included 400,000 more than the potential number of households and,
despite the fact that these surplus homes were mal-distributed, the
present situation does indicate that although the question of numbers
of dwellings may be very serious locally, nationally, it is no longer of
paramount importance.
However, it is accepted that even today's model house will be
obsolete in 70 years time and cottage estates in 40, but what is the
period to be for the modern skyscraper and what is the policy to be
for future housing replacement?
It seems reasonable to suppose that today's housing will have
no more permanence than that of yesteryear. It has, in fact, been
mooted in some quarters that we are moving into an era where the
life of most manufactures, including houses, will be deliberately
limited not only to stimulate new ideas in their replacement but also
to conform to an 'employment' policy. But assuming that in the next
40 to 50 years it will become necessary to replace or extend the life
of the then existing dwellings, there would be much more flexibility
with houses than with blocks of flats if recent experience in large
cities is to be any guide.
In urban districts especially, density is the chief problem of the
housing authorities and, in their schemes now under construction,
flats comprise more than half of the total. Paradoxically, a recent
survey showed that although only one person in every 100 wanted
to live in high blocks of flats, one in six of the homes being built by
local authorities are flats in tall blocks of 10 or more storeys. Indeed,
not only were high flats unpopular, but fewer than one person in
seven wished to live in a flat at all. Although this survey showed that
the overwhelming majority of people wanted a house, it also revealed
that few expected this desire to be satisfied. Such a result
demonstrates the degree to which the present housing programmes
may be ignoring people's aspirations and perhaps thereby influencing
future psychological patterns. However, it is perfectly clear that if
the clamour for new houses were to be sated the country would be
engulfed in suburban sprawl. Another interesting fact disclosed by
the survey was that at a time when the official cost rents of 'semis'
ranged between £5 and £7 and even up to £10 in the London area,
nearly 70% thought that an appropriate rent for a three-bedroomed
semi-detached house should be between £1 and £4 per week.
It is natural for a mother to be solicitous for her young child
and a small private garden would prove a great boon and give her a
serenity and peace of mind which is unattainable in high rise housing