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29
Slum Clearance
Official representations were made in 1958 for dealing with 17 unfit
houses within a site bounded by Dufour's Place, Broadwick Street and
Marshall Street, in pursuance of the City Council's slum clearance
programme, 1956-60.
The houses were contained in two areas which were declared to be
clearance areas; and on 13th March, 1959, the City Council made a
Compulsory Purchase Order for the acquisition of the properties Nos. 1-6
(consecutive and inclusive) Dufour's Place, 60-74 (even), Broadwick
Street, and 7-13 (consecutive and inclusive), Marshall Street (including
factory premises at the rear of 9-13, Marshall Street). The Order was
cited as the Westminster (Dufour's Place, Broadwick Street and Marshall
Street) Compulsory Purchase Order, 1959, and was submitted to the
Minister of Housing and Local Government for confirmation.
On the 13th September, 1959, the City Council received a report
that three objections had been received by the Minister to the confirmation
by him of the above Compulsory Purchase Order, and that a public local
Inquiry into these objections would be held by the Ministry's Inspector
at the City Hall on the 5th October, 1959, at 10.30 a.m.
It was further reported that the London County Council raised no
objection under Section 30 of the Town and Country Planning Act,
1947, to the demolition of No. 74, Broadwick Street, the birthplace of
William Blake, painter, poet and mystic. The County Council requested,
however, that the City Council should examine the possibility of
preserving some of the features of architectural interest such as original
doors, staircases and panelling in other properties included in the clearance
area.
The public local Inquiry was duly held at City Hall on the 5th October,
1959, and the Minister's confirmation of the Order, with or without
modification, is awaited.
Rent Act, 1957—Certificates of Disrepair
One application for a certificate of disrepair was received during the
year. A certificate was duly issued and was still in force at 31st December,
1959.
Land Charges Act, 1957
The number of enquiries dealt with and reported upon was 3,010,
relating to 5,234 properties. These figures are an increase of 621 on the
number of enquiries dealt with in 1958.
These enquiries followed their usual form of questions relating to
outstanding statutory or informal notices, combined drainage orders,
smoke control area orders, applications for decontrol under the Rent
Restrictions Acts, and certificates of disrepair.