§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Building Research Station has issued any official or other documents defining approximately the most desirable and economical height to which blocks of housing flats should be built within the limits of Greater London, and if they have not whether they could do so.]
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, I am sending to the noble Lord copies of four papers on this subject which have been published by the Building Research Station. These provide background economic information. Developers must, of course, also take into account general planning considerations and amenities.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer and information, may I ask whether he is not aware that in other countries, where they have more experience in this type of tall building than we have had here, they have found, considering the form of fireproofing needed and the need for steel sections, that they get more for their money—that is the best way of putting it—in six, twelve or twenty-storey buildings, and in between they do not get the full value they could otherwise get?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, up to a point I agree with my noble friend. The general gist of the four papers, which of course look at the prob- 1092 lem from only the economic point of view, is that it is cheaper to build houses or flats of four storeys and below, except when land values are high; but if high building is necessary it becomes more economic to build in the fifteen to twenty-storey range than in the intermediate six to twelve storey range.