Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1965-1966 — Page 43

MARINE DEPARTMENT LIBRARY

though the new ones with seven storeys are all built to an ‘'I' pattern. In the 'H' blocks, each bay accommodates two 198 sq. ft. units, but in the 'I' blocks the units are of 256 sq. ft., lying three abreast in each bay. To save space as well as make it easier to allocate units to large factories, most future blocks will be four bays in width; but some blocks three bays wide will continue to be built to facilitate allocations to smaller concerns. Access to each floor is by a central staircase and ramp, with additional staircases at each end of the block. There are no lifts as the intention is to reduce building costs as much as possible, consistent with functional efficiency. A balcony around each floor gives access to all units; there are communal latrines and bath-rooms. The roofs of each building are used for drying purposes. A plan of a three unit bay, seven-storey factory block is at Appendix VIII and rents are described in Chapter 10 and listed at Appendix IV.

91. The minimum area which may be allocated to any one concern is one unit of 198 or 256 sq. ft. and the maximum is approximately 5,000 square feet i.e. twenty-five units in the old and twenty in the new factories. The latter figure reflects one of the two limitations which operate when clearing factories and workshops into resettlement accommodation. One of them is the size of the undertaking: to be eligible for resettlement, a squatter factory must not exceed 5,000 square feet of covered enclosed working space; the other limitation is suitability of trade. Whilst the latter does not debar an otherwise eligible undertaking, the owner is required to change his trade to one approved by the department as suitable for a multi-user factory build- ing. (See para. 93).

92. After taking up accommodation in the factory, individual tenants have to provide their own partition and front walls facing on to the verandahs in conformity with standard designs prepared by this department. The internal layout adopted by the tenant requires the approval of the Labour and Fire Services Departments, and each con- cern has to make its own arrangements for the installation of water and electricity.

93. As already mentioned, the design of the buildings and the fact that a large number of concerns are housed close together have made it necessary to exclude certain trades. These fall into four main cate- gories; trades involving the use of dangerous goods; those that require more storage space than can be provided, for example, timber yards and waste or scrap metal dealers; foundries, (except small blacksmithies

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