View report page

Clean Air Act, 1956
In the Report of the Government Committee on Air Pollution, issued
in 1953, the City of Westminster and adjoining Boroughs were included
in the list of "black areas," that is, areas where pollution is particularly
bad. In January, 1959, the Minister of Housing and Local Government
issued a Circular drawing attention to the fact that about half the smoke
in the atmosphere comes from domestic fireplaces burning coal. The
Minister expressed the hope that, although an encouraging start had been
made by local authorities in using their powers to make smoke control
orders, faster progress would be made, especially in "black areas". The
Minister requested that Councils in "black areas" should consider their
domestic smoke problem as a whole; decide on the smoke control orders
that would be required, and the order in which they should be made; and
assess how many years it would take to complete the work. Local
authorities were also asked to prepare a phased programme for establishing
smoke control areas over the ensuing five years.
Accordingly, the City Council at its meeting on 30th April, 1959,
approved a programme which provided for the whole of Westminster to
be covered by operative smoke control orders by 1st October, 1965.
An endeavour was made to accelerate this programme with a view to
its completion by 1st October, 1964. Unfortunately, the final Order,
covering some 321 acres, in respect of the Westminster (South) Area
was not confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government
in time for it to come into operation during 1964, the operative date
being 1st July, 1965.
Thirteen Smoke Control Orders are now in operation in Westminster,
covering 2,034 acres of the City; two further Orders, covering 154 acres,
have been made and confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local
Government and will come into operation on 1st October, 1964.
Details of the approved programme, and a map of the proposed
Areas, are set out on page 82 of this report.