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HOUSING
Housing Act, 1957 - Section 9
The effectiveness of the Council's power to require the repair of unfit houses
was impaired by the proviso that the premises must be repairable at reasonable
expense. The Courts have held that a repair cost of up to 100% of valuation is
reasonable. In actual fact, with fixed rentals and rising repair costs, the price of
repair often exceeded valuation, in cases examined this excess was shown to average
34%. If repair costs were to continue to rise the section would become even more
ineffective. The consequence was that if a house or part were unfit for human
habitation, it could only be closed or demolished and the tenant rehoused, thus
creating a further demand on the Council's housing resources.
When tenants had been rehoused, it frequently became an economic proposition for
the owners to undertake repairs to render properties fit for letting.
Housing Act 1957, Section 16, 17, 18, 27.
The facts given above largely account for the increase in the number of closing
orders, 70 of which were made on parts of buildings and 6 on whole houses. In
addition one demolition order was made. The shortage of one-bedroom accommodation
restricted closure action where rehousing in this type of unit was required. Three
houses and eighteen parts of buildings which were subject to closing orders, were
made fit and the orders determined.
Housing Act, 1957 - Slum Clearance
During the year the following areas outstanding from the 1961/65 Slum Clearance
Programme were represented: -
1. 58-62 White Lion Street
1-13 Godson Street - Confirmation awaited at year end
2. 34a, 34-41 White Lion Street
1-2 Penton Grove - Confirmation awaited at year end
3. 83-89 White Lion Street
7-8 North West Passage - Confirmation awaited at year end
4. 1-5 Dallington Street - Enquiry to be held ear];' in 1967
5. 17-18 Meredith Street
39 Whiskin Street - Deferred
6. 14, 15 Sebastian Street - Deferred
7. 21, 23 Sebastian Street
161-163 (odd) Goswell Road - Deferred
8. 91-101 (odd). Central Street- Enquiry to be held early in 1967.
In addition the following areas were to be purchased by the Council for the
purposes listed:-
9. 24. 26 Norman Buildings - Car Parking
10. 23-35 (odd), Dingley Road - Housing Development
11. 39, 45 (odd), Dingley Road -
106 Ironmonger Row - "
12. 6-9 Dingley Place -
13. 132, 134 Lever Street -
14. 31-35, 41-57 (odd) Macclesfield Road - Housing development
15. 144-176 Central Street - Housing development.
Six area in the 1966/70 programme were also represented:-
(i) 1,2 and 3 Mildmay Street
(ii) 5-23 Mildmay Street - and 1-17 odd, 14-20 even, Haliday Walk
(iii) 32. 34 and 36 Durham Road
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