Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1955-1956 — Page 41

payers will have no cause to regret. They have, in fact, been designed in such a manner that they can easily be converted into self-contained flats of a type for which there will always be a demand. When it becomes possible to reduce the present density of occupation one or more of several different courses can be adopted. These are perhaps best illustrated if we take as an example a multi-storey block of 432 rooms now accom- modating 2,160 adults (5 per room). Should the housing shortage become less acute there will then be the following possibilities:-

(i) The block could be left structurally unaltered and its population reduced to about 1,500 adults (31 per room).

(ii) The centre partitions could be removed and so provide rooms of about 240 square feet. The access balconies on one side of the building would not then be required and could be used to provide private balconies of 33 square feet for the 240 square feet rooms. There would thus be 216 of these rooms each of which might house about seven adults. On this basis the total population of the block would then be about 1,512 adults. This type of conversion is illustrated at Appendix II (Drawing No. 3-Diagram A.).

(iii) In addition to removing the centre partitions a separate kitchen could be built in each 240 square feet room, and a separate water closet with shower on each balcony. Instead of 432 rooms there would then be 216 self-contained flats for about 1,512 adults. This type of conversion has already been carried out as an experiment on the top floor of Block G at Li Cheng Uk and is shown at Appendix II (Drawing No. 3-Diagram B). These converted flats are used as quarters for the estate staff.

(iv) After removal of the centre partitions, two bays each of 240 square feet could be converted into self- contained flats of 480 square feet plus a private balcony of 68 square feet, part of which would be used for a w.c. and a shower. Instead of 432 rooms of 120 square feet the block would then have 108

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