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74
HOUSING, TOWN PLANNING, &c., ACT, 1909.
This Act largely consists of Amendments to the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890, giving local authorities powers for dealing with unhealthy
areas, unhealthy houses, and providing lodging-houses for the working classes,
and for this purpose the Corporation is the local authority in the City of
London.
The new Act further enables a local authority (the London County Council
within the administrative County of London, which includes the City—
Section 66) when anthorised by the Local Government Board, to carry out a
town planning scheme as respect any land which is in course of development,
or appears likely to be used for building purposes, with the general object of
securing proper sanitary conditions, amenity, and convenience in connection
with the laying out and use of the lands, and of any neighbouring lands.
The Local Government Board may also authorise a local authority to adopt
a town planning scheme proposed by all or any of the owners of any land
with respect to which the local authority might themselves have been
authorised to prepare a scheme.
If the Local Government Board are satisfied on any representation, after
holding a public local inquiry, that a local authority have
(a) Failed to make a satisfactory town planning scheme when such
ought to be made;
(b) Failed to adopt any scheme prepared by owners of land when a
scheme ought to be adopted; or
(c) Have unreasonably refused to consent to any modification or
condition imposed by the Board;
the Board are granted very strong powers for ensuring that such town
planning scheme shall be carried out.
This town planning provision is one of the most useful and beneficial pieces
of legislation that has been placed upon the Statute Books of recent years.
Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, which was
formerly adoptive, has, by Section I. of the new Act, been put into force
throughout the country. It enables local authorities (the Corporation in the
City) if they think fit, to contract for the purchase or lease of any lodging
houses for the working classes, already or hereafter to be built or provided.
Provision is made for the purchase and erection of lodging-houses, and for the
sale and exchange of land required for this purpose of the Act, also for the
management of lodging houses established under the Act, and the sale of
them, if at the expiration of seven years they are found too expensive to
keep up.