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With a view to facilitating the preparation of clearance programmes in the future and in order to
consider the condition of houses and areas comprehensively, a map of the Borough is being prepared
showing areas or groups of houses according to life expectancy taking into account age and condition.
This will be compiled over a period of time so as to assess as accurately as possible the comparative
fitness of properties in the various streets and districts.
Individual Unfit Houses
The following seven privately owned properties were the subject of Closing Orders made during the
year:-
4 Ipplepen Road, N.15 35 Woodstock Road, N.4
4 Russell Road, N.15 32 Daleview Road, N.15
85 St. James Lane, N.10 171 Northumberland Park, N.17
53 Western Road, N.22
A Closing Order on part of the basement flat at 27 Pemberton Road, N.4. was determined following
completion of all work necessary to meet the requirements of Underground Rooms Regulations.
Purchase in Advance of Council's Requirements
During the year over 150 houses were inspected at the request of the Valuation Officer where these
have been offered to the Council in advance of area Compulsory Purchase Order schemes.
Uplands Road Improvement Area
This area, which comprises 93 houses, was declared an Improvement Area by the Council on the
26th July, 1965.
By the end of the year the Committee had considered representations made as a result of the
Council's proposals in respect of six dwellings and progressive steps were being taken to deal with the
remainder of the tenanted dwellings (approximately 30 in number) which were capable of improvement.
In November, ahouse in the road fell vacant and was offered for sale. Immediate steps were taken
by the Council to negotiate for its purchase with a view to improving the premises and using it as a
Demonstration House.
This area is being used as a 'proving ground' to gain official experience in this completely new
field and it is hoped that in the near future it will be possible to declare further improvement areas in
other parts of the Borough.
Improvement of Houses not in Improvement Areas
Three requests have been received from tenants for the Council to take action to secure that their
houses are provided with amenities to the full standard. In each case the landlord has been notified and
in one of the houses the improvements are in hand. Discussion with the landlords are continuing in the
other two cases.
7Houses in Multiple Occupation
The new Borough was faced with the choice of three different standards of amenity under Section
15of the Housing Act 1961. The following standards have been derived from the best in the three boroughs.
1. Natural and Artificial Lighting
Every habitable room being a room used or suitable for use for living or sleeping purposes,
shall be provided with one or more windows in the external walls of the room and having an
aggregate area clear of the window frame amounting to not less than one-tenth of the area of the
floor of the room.
Every kitchen, scullery, bathroom, water closet, staircase, landing, corridor and passage
shall, where practicable, be provided with one or more windows in the external walls and adequate
to provide a reasonable degree of natural lighting therefor.
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