HC Deb 26 May 1919 vol 116 cc922-4

(1) Where land included in any scheme made under Part I. or Part II. of the principal Act (other than land included in such a scheme only for the purpose of making the scheme efficient and not on account of the sanitary condition of the premises there on or of those premises being dangerous or prejudicial to health) is acquired compulsorily, the compensation to be paid for the land, including any buildings thereon, shall bathe value at the time the valuation is made of the land as a site cleared of buildings and available for development in accordance with the requirements of the building by-laws for the time being in force in the district:

Provided that if the scheme requires that provision shall be made for the re-housing of persons of the working classes on the land or part thereof when cleared the compensation payable to all persons interested in any land included in the scheme (other than as aforesaid) for their respective interests therein shall be reduced by an amount ascertained in accordance with the rules set forth in the First Schelule to this Act.

Mr. G. THORNE

I beg to move, in Sub-section (I), after the word "made" ["any scheme made under Part I."], to insert the words, or to be made. This is a drafting Amendment, the object being to make it clear that the Clause applies to the compulsory acquisition of land whether the scheme has been made before or after the passing of the present Bill.

Dr. ADDISON

I am glad to accept the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Dr. ADDISON

I beg to move, after the word "cleared" ["or part thereof when cleared"], to insert the words, or the land or part thereof when cleared be laid out as an open space. I arranged on Report to bring up words to secure that land obtained in connection with property cleared because the houses were condemned or were unsatisfactory should be obtained on the basis set out in this Clause. It really amounts to this, that in the case of this condemned property the land is obtained on the basis of its commercial value, or in so far as it is required for purposes of housing the basis of valuation is governed by that purpose. That means that the price in such cases would be less than the price for ordinary commercial purposes. The Committee pointed out that the provision of the necessary space round the houses built upon the site cleared was, of course, a necessary part of the amenities of the houses and was not a commercial purpose in the ordinary sense, so that the land required for open spaces round the houses provided on the site ought to be acquired on the same basis as that used for the houses themselves. This Amendment includes the provision of open spaces on the common basis of acquisition which is applicable to the portion of the land required for rehousing.

Mr. THORNE

May I ask whether the scheme also includes the cost of the laying out and construction of public streets or roads and other matters ancillary or incidental to the provision of houses' I am told there is great anxiety felt as to whether the terms of the Bill include that or not. If my right hon. Friend will give an assurance on the point it will be a great satisfaction.

Dr. ADDISON

The scheme in this particular case, the scheme of rehousing or the clearance of these sites, includes roads and so forth, but it does not include transport facilities for long distances to and fro. That would fall to another charge. It includes roads and so forth which are a part of a general housing scheme.

Amendment agreed to.