View report page

HOUSING
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954
This Act which came into operation on the 30th August, 1954, directed every
local authority to make a survey for the purpose of ascertaining how much slum
clearance was necessary in its area. With the easing of post war difficulties
it was desirable that the clearance of slums, which had been practically inhibited
for 15 years, should be resumed in a thorough and systematic way. Houses were
to be classified as to whether they were due for immediate demolition or whether
demolition could without prejudice to health, be postponed for a limited number
of years by means of improvements and repairs. In order to carry out this work
the preliminary survey was started in the Borough at once and was nearing
completion at the end of the year,
6 Certificates of Disrepair were issued under this Act during the period
30th August to 31st December, 1954.
Hogarth Lane Re Development Area
The four Compulsory Purchase Orders made during the year 1953, and involving
48 houses, were confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government on
the 6th May, 1954, with certain modifications in respect of three of the Orders.
The re-development of the above area continues, and during the year under
review, the following 47 houses in clearance areas, from which 119 persons were
displaced and rehoused by the Council, were demolished:"
121-133 (odd numbers); 135a; 135-149 (odd numbers), Devonshire Road,
3-13 (consecutive numbers); 15 and 16, Devonshire Place,
18 24 (consecutive numbers); James Street,
13- 35 (odd l umbers) Wood Street.
In addition to the above, the following 46 houses, from which 100 persons
were displaced and rehoused by the Council, and which were acquired by the Council
at site value without the need for declaring clearance areas, were also demolished
during the year:-
15, 16, 17, Furze Street, . 16, 17, 18, James Street Yard,
13 17 (consecutive numbers), James Street,
20, 22, 24, and 4-14 (even numbers), Devonshire Street,
20-32 (even numbers). Wood Street, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 37 Wood Street,
13 and 14, .17 and 18, Devonshire Place,
109-119 (odd numbers) and 151-357 (odd numbers), Devonshire Road,
The total number of houses demolished in this area during recent years is
135. Other properties in this area were demolished either as a result of enemy
action or by Closing Orders made prior to the outbreak of the War in 1939,
The number of flats to be built on the cleared site is 206, of which 62
were completed at the end of 1954.
55