Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1966-1967 — Page 55

modates two 198 square feet units, but in the 'T' blocks the units are of 256 square feet, lying three abreast in each bay. To save space as well as make it easier to allocate units to large factories, most new blocks are now four bays in width, but some are still built only three bays wide 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, and there are com- munal latrines and bathrooms. The roofs of some buildings are used for drying purposes. A plan of a three-unit bay, seven-storey factory block is at Appendix 12 and rents are described in Chapter 9 and listed at Appendix 4.

117. The minimum area which may be allocated to any one concern is one unit of 198 or 256 square feet, and the maximum is approxi- mately 5,000 square feet-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 suit- ability 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 building.

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

119. 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 categories; trades involving the use of dangerous goods; foundries, (except small blacksmithies and non-ferrous foundries) where adequate ventilation is the problem; all food processing, because the simple design of the build- ings and the proximity of other trades preclude maintenance of the necessary standards of hygiene; and those that require more storage

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