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30.
Clean Air Act. 1956
(a) Smoke Control Areas
In 1959 the Council submitted to the Ministry of Housing & Local
Government, a phased programme for the introduction of Smoke Control
Areas throughout the Borough, This was in accordance with Circular
5/59, the Ministry having confirmed that Chingford was within one of
the "black areas", such areas being defined as of dense population and
where frequency of fog was thirty occasions per year or over.
The programme indicated that the Borough would be divided into
nine Smoke Control Areas, such areas to be introduced over a period of
fifteen years. The Council resolved that for the purpose of making
grants towards the cost of adaptations in Smoke Control Areas, the
maximum sum for the replacement or adaptation of existing open inset
fires, irrespective of the type of appliance chosen by the householder,
be similar to that in respect of Council owned properties but that the
cost of fixing be considered on its merits. The cost of such appliances
to Council owned properties in Phase 1 was £4. 7. 2d, and this sum was,
therefore, judged reasonable in relation to appliances provided to
privately owned houses, whether open inset, gas or electric fires.
Phase 1 of the programme termed "the Chingford Smoke Control Order
1960 (No. l)" was provisionally approved by the Ministry in January, I960,
was duly confirmed and came into operation on the 3rd November of that
year. This pilot scheme related to 387 properties, the majority of
which were Council owned. At the time of writing this report, the final
costs of the scheme have not been published, but generally the work
necessary for the adaptation of appliances was completed without undue
difficulty. Of the 387 properties 320 were in Council ownership and
of the remaining 67 properties applications were received from only
22 owners, or 32,8% for grants towards costs of adaptations.
The map on page 32 indicates the manner in which the Borough has
been divided for the purpose of Smoke Control Orders and a brief
description of these Areas is as follows:-
Phase 1. 1960; The Chingford Smoke Control Order, No. 1, and the
area covered by this Order is that part of the Borough
north of Yardley Lane, having an area of about 38
acres and including 387 properties. All are private
dwellings with the exception of the Lea Valley Social
Club.
Of the 387 properties, 322 are owned by the Council and
65 are privately owned. Of these 30 were built by the
Council for tenant-purchase (Sewardstone Gardens) and
6 formerly owned by the Council have now been purchased
by the tenants.