[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Lakes U.D.C.

  • Lake District (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Lakes U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/40 (page 17)
    Rural slums may be more picturesque than city slums, escape into the beautiful countryside may be easier, but within the four walls of a house the distinction is not so evident. The delayed start in new building made any serious attempt of slum clearance in your District almost impossible for the hrst seven years after the war. A start is now being made to deal with those houses which have decayed to the stage of being structurally dangerous, and to commence action against any particularly bad houses which are brought to especial notice. The Housing Act, 1949, offers financial grants to owners to recondition existing houses in a comprehensive manner, and I hope that owners of Class 4 and 5 houses will consider the possibilities of each house with a view to maintaining the architectural traditions of the District and making decent houses for our dalesfolk. The Act also gives your Council extensive powers to acquire and recondition suitable sub-standard houses. This might be a lot quicker and cheaper than new building but it would meet only part of the demand. Courage would be required to reap full advantages for such schemes. Full advantage has not been taken of either of these measures, and the best hope seems to he in cashing-in on the whimsey museum- worship of the National Park. Closing Orders Housing Act, 1936. Section 12. Local Government Act, 1953. Section 10. No closing orders were made during the year. One such order is on the register of local land charges. Undertakings Housing Act, 1936. Section ii. 13 undertakings not to use houses for human habitation were accepted during the year. Undertakings not to use houses for human habitation were in force on 27 premises. 7 improvement grants were made under the Housing Act, 1949. Demolition Orders Housing Act, 1936. Section ii. No demolition orders were made during 1954. One demolition order is outstanding on Island View Cottage, Grasmere. This order was made by your Council in 1937, but was not enforced. The house is now illegally occupied. This is not satisfactory.