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Approximately twenty dwellings per annum continue to be identified, as a result of
complaints and the routine inspection of the district, which are found to be unfit and
incapable of repair at reasonable cost and necessitate action under Part II of the
Housing Act, 1957.
No further surveys were undertaken during the year in respect of potential redevelopment
areas for designation under Part V of the Housing Act 1957. A re-appraisal was
however made of the Cromwell Road Housing Area which in 1968 was designated by the
Council for re-development. This followed representations from a group of the owners
concerned that the future of the area should be reconsidered having regard to the provisions
of Part II of the Housing Act, 1969 in respect of General Improvement and rehabilitation
and in consequence the Council re-affirmed their earlier decision to proceed with
comprehensive re-development.
During the year Compulsory Purchase Orders were confirmed, each without modification,
in respect of three Housing Areas at Sydney Road, Sanders Lane and
Cricklewood Lane South. On completion re-development will provide for some 162 units
of accommodation in localities previously occupied by 91 mainly substandard properties
with an appreciable element of multi-occupation. By the end of the year re-development
of the first phase of the Ridge Road Housing Area (18 units) was completed, whilst redevelopment
of the Swan Lane Housing Area was well advanced. The latter scheme
provides for 36 dwellings and a school site in a locality which was previously occupied
by 57 unfit or substandard properties with an appreciable amount of multi-occupation.
Improvement of Houses
The Housing Act 1969, whilst retaining the main features of the original scheme,
sought to give more discretion and greater flexibility to local authorities in addition to
increasing the upper limit of the financial assistance available towards the cost of
improving older houses which still have an acceptable life but which presently lack
amenities in the form of hot water supply, a fixed bath or shower, wash hand basin,
sink, and inside water closet. As a matter of policy, older type houses are inspected
and when found to be suitable for improvement, information and advice is proffered to
owners in order to encourage them to undertake improvement with the aid of appropriate
grants. In twenty cases a favourable response was received and improvement schemes
were carried out or put in hand. With the higher levels of grant together with the more
realistic rents for certain categories of tenancy made available by the new legislation a
steady increase in the number of properties improved is now looked for.
During the year a total sum of £40,212 was paid in respect of grant aid, made up of
137 Standard Grants, 20 Discretionary Improvement Grants, and 1 Special Grant relating
to a house in multiple occupation.
I am informed by the Borough Treasurer that during the same period 337 Housing Act
Advances were made for house purchase, involving a gross sum of £1,400,530.
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