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60
HOUSING
HOUSING ACT 1969
This Act, which became operative on 25th August 1969, is a major piece of legislation which may
eventually have more impact on the private housing scene than any previously passed. The increase in
ceiling for Improvement Grants from £400 to £1,000, the introduction of special grants in respect of shared
facilities and the prospect of increased rents has considerably changed the thinking in the private housing
field from, in many cases, a resigned attitude to property deterioration to a determined effort to preserve.
The introduction of Conservation Areas by the Civic Amenities Act 1967, has given further stimulus to
the desire to preserve property but unfortunately it is not yet clear as to the viability of the principle of the
General Improvement Area under the Housing Act, 1969, in areas of Inner London, where so much
property is in multi occupation and so many problems have to be resolved in converting shared
accommodation into self-contained units.
It is hoped that General Improvement Areas can prove a practical answer to the amenity aspects of both
the environment and the accommodation in twilight areas, but at this early stage it would appear that the
lack of compulsory power to effect improvements and the amount of officer time required to get schemes
off the ground provide substantial disadvantages.
The regulatory powers of control of multi-occupation contained in the new Act, combined with the
approach that in respect of multi-occupied houses the Council can enforce its statutory powers to effect
improvements, stand a far greater chance of success in this type of property, especially now that the
availability of a variety of grants provides owners with alternative solutions. This method of approach has
been adopted by the Council to be used in the application of its registration scheme. The basic purposes of
the scheme adopted are that registration should control the present number of multi-occupied properties,
estimated at 20,000, and that over a period of fifteen years the scheme should substantially raise in
standard the properties that will remain in multi-occupation at the end of that time — estimated at 9,000.
Before the end of the year, work was commenced on a pilot scheme in an area of approximately 100 houses
in Highbury. This was with a view to seeing what degree of success would be forthcoming to the informal
approach to house owners on improvement, using our statutory powers if necessary if this should prove
unsuccessful. It is hoped that Registration may act as an inducement to owners to improve. Early
indications are promising so that later in 1971, after Ministry approval of the full Registration Scheme,
extensions of this type of approach will be possible.
SLUM CLEARANCE PROGRAMME 1966-1970
The above five year programme has been undertaken jointly by the London Borough of Islington and the
Greater London Council. During 1970, that part of the programme which fell to be dealt with by the
Borough, was completed insofar as representation and making orders was concerned. During the year
representation and compulsory purchase orders were made in respect of six Areas, comprising 212 houses
and flats involving 320 families.
These areas were: —
Carlton & Pembroke Houses 30 dwellings 30 families
Eden Grove 3 houses 12 families
Burder Road 70 houses 108 families
Hornsey Road (1) 30 dwellings 32 families
Coombes Street 8 houses 11 families
Hemingford Road 71 houses 127 families
Two of these areas, Carlton and Pembroke Houses and Hornsey Road (No. 1), had previously been
allocated to the Greater London Council but it subsequently was agreed that this authority should deal