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clearance areas with the exceptions that (a) in the case of
St. Lukes Mews seven properties were excluded from the confirming
order and, (b) in the case of South End Road and Gardens, the
owners carried out the necessary demolition works prior to the
Minister's decision.
On the 22nd March, 1954, Circular 30/54 was issued by the
Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The circular states
that the Minister has received a number of enquiries from local
authorities about slum clearance. In particular, local
authorities have asked whether the advice in paragraph 3 of
circular 61/47 of 27th March, 1947, still stands. That
circular referred to the report of the Standards of Fitness
Sub-Committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee, and
paragraph 3 said :-
"The Minister is in general agreement with the
recommendations made by the Committee and desires to
make such standards effective at the earliest moment
practicable. Because, however, of the need to
concentrate on the erection of new houses for families
without a separate home of their own as much as possible
of the labour and materials available for housing
purposes, it will not be practicable to require the
execution of works to existing houses which would make
substantial calls on these resources or, save in
exceptional circumstances, to set in motion procedure
for the demolition of unfit houses which would involve
the provision of new houses for persons who would be
displaced from those houses."
The Ministry state that that advice is now withdrawn.
The circular adds that local authorities should forthwith
resume the full exercise of their powers under Part II (unfit
houses) and Part III (clearance areas) of the Housing Act, 1936,
and continue to do so until the proposals they will have to
submit under section 1 of the new Housing Repairs and Rents
Act, 1954s have been approved.
A preliminary survey was made during the year of a number
of areas where it appears that action under Part III of the
Housing Act, 1936, is desirable, and a provisional five-year
programme has been prepared. It may be necessary to modify
this programme when a more detailed survey is undertaken.
The Council decided that the following areas are suitable
for clearance during the period ending 1960:-
Stanley Gardens Mews 4 premises
Kensington Park Mews 13 "
Addison Place 12 "
Railway Mews 10 "
Penelon Place (including Shaftesbury Cottages)
Ashley Cottages )66 "
Warwick Road )
Portland Road 16 "
Denbigh Close }
Portobello Road )37 "
Denbigh Terrace )
Lecky Street 5 "
The foregoing areas are being inspected in detail with a
view to formal representation for slum clearance procedure under
Part III of the Housing Act, 1936.
The above programme is supplementary to the areas which
the Council decided on the 14th October, 1952, to schedule for
clearance as a long-term programme. These areas are as follows :-