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It is true that many of the houses in the excluded areas of Brunswick Road and Stanley Road are
at or are above the minimum fitness standard of Section 4 of the Housing Act, 1957, but this standard
is the lowest possible for justifying the continuing existence of dwelling houses en masse. The
standard falls far short of a satisfactory house. These "fit" houses now require to be modernised,
even with the attendant difficulties due to deterioration through old age, poor design and the manner
of occupancy. In part, the existence of these "fit" houses justifies the retention of the excluded
"unfit" houses which will require even greater efforts of repair and improvement. All these houses
are old and structurally deteriorating. Looked at objectively, as areas of houses, the wisdom of
excluding them from a Compulsory PurchaseOrder thus preventing the sites from being cleared, is open
to serious doubt.
Whether a house is "fit" or "unfit" is founded upon fact. An opinion based upon fact is arrived
at by close examination of the house and, through qualification and experience, setting the condition
of the house subjectively against the minimum fitness standard of Section 4 of the Housing Act, 1957.
When considering the best method of dealing with an area of unfit houses the Council may take
into account the structural soundness of the houses in question, the amenities within the houses, the
manner of occupancy, thedifficultiesorotherwiseof providing satisfactory household amenities, design
and arrangement, the condition of outbuildingsand yards, availability of open spaces and the multiplicity
of ownership. It is perhaps not inappropriate to consider what is left should clearance of unfit areas
of houses be decided against, and in this connection it is pointed out that repairs carried out to bring
a house up to the minimum fitness standard are usually no more than timely maintenance and do little
to lengthen the life expectation of the house.
During the year a White Paper was issued by the Minister of Housing and Local Government
entitled "Old Houses into New Homes", and is the forerunner of expected new legislation. A feature
of the White Paper is a new emphasis upon the restoration and improvement of old houses where
appropriate, but it in no way retards the activity of the clearance of unfit houses where such action
is considered to be the best method of dealing with the houses.
Uncertainty has always existed as to the selection of appropriate and suitable areas of houses
for action under improvement, but it is becoming increasingly clear that Ministry thinking is to draw a
line rather than have a gap between areas for clearance and areas for improvement.
It would seem therefore, that the Council, when considering the best method of dealing withan
area of houses represented as unfit, is making a selection between two choices, clearance or
improvement, and that the rejection of one in effect means the declaration of the other.
It would be an unsatisfactory situation for areas of unfit houses, considered to be inappropriate
for clearance, to be left, even if restored to the minimum fitness standard, for many years during
which they would further deteriorate and the occupiers would not enjoy the amenities they might
reasonably expect in this day and age.
The following dwellings were the subject of closing or demolition orders made during the year.
These were houses or parts of houses which were unfit for habitation and could not be made fit at
reasonable expense. Occupants were re-housed by the Council:-
159 Turnpike Lane, N.8
44 Muswell Hill Road, N.10
68 Mayes Road, N.22.
11 Eastfield Road, N.8.
37 Lynton Road, N.8.
45 Middle Lane, N.8.
22 Kings Road, N.22.
26 Derby Road, N.15.
667 Seven Sisters Road, N.15.
4 Heybourne Road, N.17.
190 Stapleton Hall Road, N.4.
41 Middle Lane, N.8.
1 Ennis Road, N.4.
Warham Mews, 517 Green Lanes, N.4.
Closing Orders on houses as undernoted were determined during the year after the Council had
been satisfied that adequate works had been carried out so as to render the premises again fit for
human habitation:-
91 Pellatt Grove, N.22.
190 Stapleton Hall Road, N.4.
24 Ennis Road, N.4
20 Milton Road, N.6.
35 Woodstock Road, N.4.
4 Ipplepen Road, N.15.
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