[Report 1972] / Medical Officer of Health, Belper (Union) R.D.C.

  • Belper (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1972
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1972] / Medical Officer of Health, Belper (Union) R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND COMPOSITION OF THE AREA The Rural District of Belper lies in the south of Derbyshire and is bounded on the north by the Urban District of Matlock and the Chesterfield Rural District, on the south by the County Borough of Derby, the South East Derbyshire Rural District and the Repton Rural District, on the east by the Urban Districts of Alfreton, Ripley, and Heanor, and Ilkeston Borough, and on the west by the Virksworth Urban and Ashbourne Rural Districts. The altitude of the area varies considerably from 170* O.D. at Duffield in the south to 1,000 O.D. in the north at Ashleyhay. The River Derwent entering the rural district at Lea Rood on the 260 foot contour, flows from north to south dividing the area fairly equally into east and west. The eastern parishes are where industries are found and the residential and agricultural parishes are sited chiefly on the west bank of the river. A circle of approximately 10 miles radius, struck from the Council Offices, encloses the 26 parishes which are under the Council's administration. Representation on the Rural District Council varies, one parish sending three Councillors and in another instance one representative sits for two parishes. The total representation is 29 Councillors. PRINCIPAL LOCAL INDUSTRIES The principal local industries are G-lazed Pipe making. Light Weight Building Aggregate B1ocj.cs, Wire Drawing, Colour Pigment Manufacturing, Pottery and China Ware making and decoration, Agriculture, and Cotton Knitwear manufacturing. A large Industrial Estate has developed over the last five years known as the Heanor Gate Industrial Estate and at the end of 1972 17 different types of factories and work places had been established. STATISTICS OF THE AREA Area of District 46,273 acres Population 1971 Census 24,450 Estimated Mid-Year Population 1972 24,940 Number of houses, flats, shops with houses, hotels and boarding houses as at 1.4-73 9,409 Rateable Value as at 31♦3*73 £916,192 Sum represented by penny rate £8,763 Rate in £ Common Charges 80.5p. Total loan debt £3,168,434 Debt for housing only £1,824,849 Loan debt for sewerage £779,980 Houses erected during the calendar year : by the Council 8 by Private Enterprise 131