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42
Compulsory Purchase Order.
This area forms part of a much larger site of about 1.2 acres, bounded
by Peter Street, Wardour Street, Brewer Street and the eastern boundary
of Lex Garage. This larger site, which is crossed by two pedestrian
courtways from north to south, viz: Walker's Court and Green's Court,
is mainly covered by old buildings, the basement, ground and some of the
upper parts of which are in commercial use. It is also one of the most
congested areas in Soho.
In view of the congestion of this larger site, the City Council formed
the opinion that clearance order procedure, i.e. requiring the owners to
demolish and redevelop the cleared site, was unsuitable for dealing with
the proposed small clearance area, because in their opinion this area
should be redeveloped at the appropriate time in conjunction with as
large an area of the premises adjoining as it may be found practicable to
incorporate. Ownership of the small site would, therefore, undoubtedly
assist in the promotion of the suggested scheme of overall development,
and it was considered that the appropriate procedure would be for the
Council to acquire the premises by means of a Compulsory Purchase
Order. The Council would then be in a position at the appropriate time
to exercise its influence to secure a much needed improvement of this
part of Soho.
It its meeting on the 25th May, 1961, therefore, the City Council
resolved that a Compulsory Purchase Order should be made for the
acquisition of the properties Nos. 20, 21, 22 and 23 Peter Street, W.l,
and 6 and 7, Green's Court, W.l, and that the Order should be submitted
to the Minister of Housing and Local Government for confirmation.
(b) Nos. 20 and 22, Mercer Street, W.C.2.
On the 27th July, 1961, the City Council resolved to make a Clearance
Order in respect of the area comprising Nos. 20 and 22, Mercer Street,
W.C.2, and to require that each building should be vacated within a
period of forty-two days immediately following the date on which the
Order became operative. A letter dated 26th January, 1962, was
received from the Minister of Housing and Local Government confirming
the Clearance Order, without modification.
Housing Act, 1957—Underground Rooms- Regulations.
At their meeting on the 14th June, 1961, the Public Health Committee
considered a letter dated 5th May, 1961, from the Metropolitan Boroughs'
Standing Joint Committee, referring to Circular No. 38/59 from the
Ministry of Housing and Local Government, asking that local authorities
should review their existing Regulations relating to underground rooms
in the light of revised Model Regulations issued by the Ministry, and
submit revised Regulations to the Ministry for approval. The Standing
Joint Committee felt that the revised Model Regulations fell short of