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proceedings might be by Clearance Areas, with the demolition of each
of the houses in the area. It has for some time been felt that the time was
coming when in spite of the acute housing shortage consideration should
be given to the continued use of a number of houses which were felt to
be unfit for human habitation, but which were not considered capable of
repair at a reasonable expense. At their meeting on the 18th November,
1952, the Committee approved of the preparation of lists of houses which
should be considered with a view to steps being taken for their demolition.
Five groups of properties were therefore submitted to the Committee
and at their meeting in November the Committee received the official
representations in respect of numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, Pinner Hill Road, Pinner ;
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, Palmerston Road, Wealdstone; and 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and
34, Little Common, Stanmore.
At the same time, it was pointed out that there were other groups of
properties in the district which were the subject of Clearance Orders or
Demolition Orders made before the War, most of these still being
occupied. At their meeting in November, the Committee asked the
Housing Committee to provide alternative accommodation for the
occupants of all the houses in the district which were the subject of confirmed
Clearance Orders and Demolition Orders. These comprise:—
Clearance Orders : 2-40, Headstone Drive; 1-5, Brewery Cottages,
Stanmore; and Albany, Appleton, Park View, and Northumberland
House, High Street, Stanmore. Demolition Orders: 277-285, Pinner
Road; 4, 6, 8, 10, Shelley Road; 23, 25, 27, Milton Road; 29, Milton
Road; 40, 42, 44, 46, Marlborough Road; 1, 3, 5, Peel Road; 99-101,
Greenford Road; and 1-7 Kingsfield Terrace.
Demolition Orders have been made in the last year in respect of the
following houses:—4, 6, 8, 10, Shelley Road; 23, 25, 27, Milton Road;
40, 42, 44, 46, Marlborough Road ; 44, 46, 48, College Road, and 277,
279, 281, 283, & 285 Pinner Road.
In some premises only part of the house is considered to be unfit for
human habitation. These can be dealt with by the making of Closing
Orders. Recent legislation has permitted the same procedure to be
followed in dealing with a house which should be the subject of a Demolition
Order, but which cannot be demolished because of its attachment
to its neighbours. Through the year Closing Orders were made in respect
of part of Waldron Cottage and in respect of 58, Milton Road, 40, Milton
Road, 48 and 50, High Street, Harrow-on-the-Hill.
Certain provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Act, 1953, affect the procedure to be followed in dealing with
houses incapable of repair.
Under the Housing Act, 1936, a Closing Order could be made in
respect of only part of a building, not of the whole. The result was
that to deal with a house which was one of a terrace, a Demolition Order
had to be made, even though it might be so very difficult, if not impossible,
to demolish the house. Section 10 of the new Act enables local authorities,
if they consider it expedient, to make Closing Orders instead of
Demolition Orders. A local authority, too, may revoke a Demolition
Order if it is expedient, having regard to the effect of the Demolition
c