County Borough of Northampton

C. E. VIVIAN ROWE. LL.B. TOWN CLERK CLERK OF THE PEACE Telephone 34831

TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE GUILDHALL NORTHAMPTON 30th May, 1968

The Minister of Housing and Local Government has now confirmed with modifications the above-mentioned Order and I enclose a statutory notice of its confirmation as you were an objector who appeared, either personally or through a Solicitor or Agent, at the Public Local Inquiry in support of your objection.

In approximately six weeks' time formal Notice to Treat together with Claim Forms for compensation on the purchase of your property will be served on you.

Yours faithfully,



Town Clerk.

Notice is hereby given that the Minister of Housing and Local Government in pursuance of the powers vested in him by the Housing Act, -1957, on tne 7th day of May, 1968, confirmed with modifications the County Borough of Northampton (Letts Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 1967, submitted to him by the Northampton County Borough Council, authorising them to purchase compulsorily under Section 43 of the said Act the lands described in the schedule to this notice,, which lands are lands in an area declared to be a clearance area by a resolution of the Council dated the 3rd day of July 1967., and also lands surrounded by and lands adjoining the clearance area

Copies of the confirmed order and of the map referred to therein and a map of the said clearance area have been deposited at my office at Newilton House, Derngate. Northampton and may be seen at all reasonable hours.

The order distinguishes the following classes of lands to be purchased compulsorily, namely:-

(a) lands included in the clearance area, on which there are houses unfit for human habitation. and

(b) lands outside the clearance area

The order will become operative at the expiration of 6 weeks from 30th May 1968 on which date a notice in like terms was published in the press but if proceedings in the High Court are instituted within that period for questioning the validity of the order, the Court may, if satisfied that the order is not within the powers of the Act or that the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by any requirement of the Act not having been complied with, quash the order either generally or in so far as it affects any property of the applicant

1. I am directed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government to say that he has received the report of the Inspector, Mr. R. St. G. Whelan, A. R. I.B. A., M. T.P.I., who held a public local inquiry into this order on the 15th and 16th February, 1968.

2. The order relates to the Letts Road and Oxford Terrace clearance areas together with added lands. The council propose to acquire the order lands for clearance and redevelopment mainly for housing purposes and partly for industrial and highway improvement purposes.

3. The objections to the order were mainly on the grounds that some of the properties were not unfit, were capable of being brought up to housing standards at reasonable expense or were not properly classified as houses and should be re-classified as added lands. Objections were also made on the grounds that the acquisition of some of the added lands was not necessary.

4. At the inquiry the council made application to re-classify Reference Nos. 31, 48, 167, 202 and 212 (Nos. 9 and 26, Letts Road, No. 28, Henley Street and Nos. 48 and 8, Delapre Street) as lands outside the clearance areas being within the scope of Section 43(2) of the Act.

5. Allowing for the transfer of those five houses as requested by the council, the Inspector found that the properties in the clearance areas were properly represented as unfit houses except Reference Nos. 18, 22, 26, 30, 65, 105, 163, 177, 188, 190 and 211 (Nos. 49 and 59, Delapre Street, Nos. 4 and 8, Letts Road, Nos. 50 and 31, Oxford Street, Nos. 36, 8, 17 and 21, Henley Street and No. 14, Delapre Street) which he found to be not so far defective as to be unfit. He concluded that the most satisfactory method of dealing with the conditions in the clearance areas as modified was the demolition of all the buildings therein. The Inspector also concluded, having regard to the multiplicity of ownership that the council were justified in acquiring the unfit properties to secure satisfactory clearance and redevelopment and that the acquisition of the added lands, including Reference Nos. 18, 22, 26, 30, 31, 48, 65, 105, 163, 167, 177, 188, 190, 202, 211 and 212 was reasonably necessary for the purpose of securing a cleared area of convenient shape and dimensions and for the satisfactory development or use of the cleared areas. The Inspector accordingly recommended that the order be confirmed subject to the modification that Reference Nos 18, 22, 26, 30, 31, 48, 65, 105, 163, 167, 177, 188, 190, 202, 211 and 212 be transferred from Part I to Part III of the order schedule.

6. The arrangements put forward both by the objectors and the council have been considered. The Inspectors findings, conclusions and recommendations have been accepted and the Minister has therefore decided to confirm the order subject to the modifications recommended by the Inspector. The order and sealed map are being returned under separate cover for deposit in the council's offices.

7. Claims for payment for good maintenance under section 60 of the Housing Act 1957 were made for a number of houses. The Inspector found that 22 had been well maintained, as well as 10 others for which claims had not been made. 4 of the houses subject to claims were found to be fit and the question of a payment for go maintenance in respect of these houses no longer arises.

8. The Inspector's findings have been considered, and in accordance with section 60 of the Act the Minister directs the council to make payments for the houses listed in the Appendix, to this letter, of such amounts, if any, as are authorised by Par of Schedule 2 to the Act, having regard also to the provisions of Schedule 2 to the Land Compensation Act 1961. It is not considered that a payment under section 60 would be justified for any of the other houses for which claims were made.

9. Costs. An objector who has been wholly or partially successful may qualify for an award of costs within the terms of Ministry of Housing and Local Government Circular 73/1965. Farther consideration will be given to this on receipt of an application from any successful objector who considers that he or she has a claim. A claim for a payment for good maintenance is not an objection and a successful claim of this kind does not attract an award of costs.

10. A copy of the Inspector's report will be supplied if a written request for it is made to the above address within one month of the date of this letter.

11. The council's attention is drawn to the enclosed memorandum relating to matters which will arise now that the order has been confirmed.

12. Right of Appeal to High Court
In due course the council will publish a notice in the local press stating that the Minister has confirmed the order and indicating the place where a copy of the order as confirmed and of the order map may be inspected at all reasonable hours. The council will also send a copy of the notice to each objector who appeared at the inquiry. If any person is aggrieved by the order and desires to question its Validity on the grounds that it is not within the powers of the Housing Act 1957» that any requirement of -the Act has not been complied with, he or she may apply to the High Court for that purpose within six weeks from the date of publication of the notice. It should be noted that where an appeal is made on the latter ground the High Court will not quash the order as a whole or in part unless satisfied that the applicant's interests have been substantially prejudiced by the non-compliance.

13. Copies of this letter have been sent to the objectors and, where appropriate to their representatives.

This sale has been completed and we enclose herewith a cheque for £1,150 0s. 0d. - the proceeds of sale. Our charges and your agents charges were also paid by the Corporation. Kindly acknowledge receipt.