CRAB VILLAGE, MANCHESTER (Hansard, 28 March 1972)

§ Mr. Paul B. Rose (Manchester, Blackley)

It is perhaps an unfortunate by-product of Manchester's massive housing programme, which has already swept away about three-quarters of the slums of Manchester—the legacy of our Industrial Revolution—that one result has been to destroy the existing communities and the historical character of the areas in which they live.

Among the tower blocks and rows of semi-detached houses in my constituency there is one island of historical interest which provides a link with the past. It has grown organically over the years and it has a unique sense of community. The dwellings provide a variety of appearance and there is a pleasant village atmosphere, damaged perhaps only by the regrettable two-way flow of traffic along the curving narrow slopes. That area is known as Crab Lane.

Unfortunately a shadow of destruction hangs over the lane and its surroundings. It is the subject of a clearance area order. It has been temporarily reprieved but the shadow is there. I want to argue for a comprehensive development which would benefit an area which has no parallel either in my constituency or on the northern side of Manchester, which 391 gives to all who pass through it a sense of surprise and pleasure, a contrast to the uniformity of the concrete and brick jungles which we are creating, where we often forget the human factor in planning.

Manchester as an authority has shown itself imaginative, particularly in the plans for the northern side of the city, with the new open spaces and the new linear parks along the River Irk. With Government help and that of the Department of the Environment, which is one of the few Departments in the Administration that have shown real imagination and purpose in planning, I am hopeful that the imaginative approach of Manchester might be reflected on the Government benches so that we might combine conservation with common sense and redevelop as part of a historical process which would preserve the best of this area.

In an editorial in the Manchester Evening News of 26th May, 1971, it was said with great understanding: Many planners, especially those concerned with rehousing people from slum areas, have found to their dismay that community life is not a flower that will transplant. The true village atmosphere of neighbourliness and mutual help can flourish, as at Crab Lane, even in the heart of suburbia, and should be cherished because no one has yet found the full answer to the great social problem of soulless housing estates. It may be pushing it a little too hard if I were to say that this road and this area could become a little Hampstead or High gate if certain places were developed rather than demolished and if it were considered comprehensively. I will not go so far as Hampstead or Highgate, but a lot could be done.

I have seen for myself the neighbourliness, when attending the local church of St. Andrew's, which dominates the landscape and has a remarkable view right over Prestwich, the Irk Valley, Heaton Park and as far as the Bolton Moors, which dominate the landscape there. I have also seen it on less happy occasions, attending a funeral in the old Nonconformist chapel in that narrow lane.

The residents there still boast that the road is mentioned in the Domesday Book as the road through the Blackley Forest. Now, the only forest there is a forest of council houses and flats. But it was the 392 old road to York and probably Dick Turpin once rode over it.

The houses date back as far as four centuries. They are mainly of industrial or pre-Industrial Revolution vintage and they have been condemned over the heads of the large majority of residents, who still wish to live there. They want to see a general improvement area declared for the Crab Lane Village so that the bulldozer is kept from their doorsteps. The battle to save Crab Lane started when two residents, Mr. and Mrs. Ashton, called a meeting in the parish hall. The result was summed up admirably in the Blackley Guardian, which reported: The response was tremendous, residents flooding to the Parish Hall so that extra chairs had to be provided, and even then some people had to stand. A former councillor in the area, Councillor Kirkup, apparently gave up the fight virtually before it had even started. I gather from the Blackley Guardian report that cries of "Rubbish" greeted his remarks. Those cries may yet prove to be right because prophets of doom and an attitude of defeatism will not win this battle or tackle the problem.

It is a hopeful sign that already the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, the Civic Trust for the North West, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, the residents' committee and many other organisations have joined the battle. I addressed a meeting at the Crab Lane school—that was on a different subject, the misconceived Housing Finance Bill—some time ago and while there I was handed a dossier on the subject which I am raising tonight. I am happy to join the ranks of those who are battling to preserve this area, and accordingly I am happy to carry out a promise I made in a letter to the residents some time ago.

An important letter was written to the Town Clerk of Manchester Corporation by Mr. Ashmore of the Civic Trust. He put the position with greater clarity and experience of the issues involved than I am able to do, and I therefore quote this considerable extract from his letter: In our view, clearance of this area would be both unfortunate and inappropriate. Firstly, it would seem to have some considerable historic interest. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book and the lane itself is part of the original Manchester to York road which 393 existed at a time when Blackley was still a forest. The houses are pleasing, if unexceptional, examples of vernacular architecture from the 1700s to the early twentieth century and they have considerable value as a group. The contrast provided by different buildings built at different times in different materials and styles contribute to a definite feeling of a place that has grown up organically over the years and there is evidence that this 'special' and village feeling is valued by the residents and in itself contributes to the neighbourliness and unusually strong community feeling in the area. Secondly, it is manifestly the wish of the people of Crab Lane that a policy of rehabilitation rather than of demolition should be implemented. We understand that about 75 per cent. of the residents have expressed their willingness at a public meeting to finance any grant-aided improvements required to bring their properties up to an acceptable standard. At a time when the value of participating in the planning process is increasingly and officially recognised, and where there are no major planning policy reasons for demolition, we feel that any humane policy for the area should take this local feeling and pride into account if not, indeed, stem from it. Like Mr. Ashmore, I recognise the problems posed by dilapidated buildings. However, most of these are structurally sound and the declaration of a general improvement area would appeal not merely to conservationists but provide in the long term a cheaper method of dealing with the area than demolition and replacement by local authority building.

It might be more favourable to me politically if the area were demolished, but I have always taken the view that amenity and the quality of life are far more important than narrow considerations of that sort. I appreciate that housing needs must be balanced with the needs of conservation. The fact remains that these buildings are among the oldest and most picturesque in the area, and those who know Manchester will accept that it is not a city with a great many picturesque buildings.

During the war the areas of most historic value were destroyed by a land mine. I was a youngster in an air raid shelter at the time. Crab Lane narrowly missed being destroyed. I remember the night vividly. An aeroplane crashed within yards of Crab Lane. I recall looking out of my bedroom window at the scene.

For the reasons I have given, Manchester Corporation should study not only the needs of the people there and the issues, but also the relative costs of the 394 improvement scheme as against demolition in pure cash terms as well as human terms.

A firm of chartered surveyors was commissioned to study the area. It studied it in quite dispassionate terms. It mentioned the Family Housing Association, and here there may well be a rôle for a housing co-operative or housing association of some kind. The surveyor, Mr. Cooke, considered the lane to be of interest precisely because of the lack of uniformity and because, unlike other areas in the city, the houses are not arranged into barrack-like rows. He detected the very sense of community and unity of purpose of the residents to which I have referred. He said: With very few exceptions, the residents are glad that they live in Crab Lane, and even though they do not enjoy in every house the amenities which apply in some surrounding residential areas, they still want to remain in the lane, though like any other people they would prefer their amenities to be improved. But whereas "nibbling" is no use in many areas where appearance is necessary, this area is susceptible to being dealt with in that way, dealing with individual terraces separately from a public health point of view while retaining the essential characteristics and spirit of the lane.

A housing association could well purchase the tenanted houses. Improvement grants are necessary because many people can still not afford to meet the cost, and I should like to see loans or grants given to them under the Housing Acts. It would be of assistance to the residents and myself if the Minister would help with ideas on that subject.

A comprehensive scheme should be drawn up and negotiated with the residents in the area. The report to which I referred concludes: The cost of rehabilitation pales into insignificance compared with the capital cost and subsequent interest charges for the provision of but one council house. There is room nevertheless for suitable residential development in the area as long as it does not spoil its essential character. There is a focal point in one of the shops which is presently untenanted. There is a suitable area for a car park. Each of these houses has been considered individually in the report and recommendations have been made to the local authority.

395 One of the roads off, called Little Lane, and its associated block at the back of Crab Lane were especially singled out for praise. One of the houses condemned, No. 4 Monteagle Street, is in no way unfit, in spite of the council's report. The lane is marred by a large amount of uncared-for croft land and two scrap yards. But there is no reason why it should not make way for old people's bungalows, gardens and the development of suitable residential property on both sides of Churchdale Road, which runs off. All these proposals allow for more housing to be built without destroying what exists.

The Minister has visited my constituency in a different capacity at election time. If he were to return as a Minister I am sure that he would see the merit of what would be a rational and comprehensive approach to conservation and the development of what is a very unified community and an existing organically developed environment. Perhaps he would echo with me the words with which the Manchester Evening News editorial concluded: There is something much more important than bricks and mortar to be cared for in the Crab Lanes of Britain. It is happiness. I hope that the Minister shares that feeling with me and will assist in every way the residents of the area.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Michael Heseltine)

In general terms I agree with a great deal of what the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) has said. He is perfectly correct in recalling my visits to his constituency. It is true they were made net in my capacity as a junior Minister in the Department of the Environment but as an Opposition spokesman trying my best to remove him from his seat. In both capacities I would be glad to visit his constituency again on an early occasion.

I thank the hon. Member for his generous tribute to the Department although he would not expect me to agree that in some way it stands out as an isolated example of imagination in the Government. It is merely an extraordinary example of remarkable imagination to be found throughout all Departments.

396 I remind the hon. Member of the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the Budget debate when he referred to the new initiative that he had announced of selecting six towns or inner urban areas for an in-depth examination by Ministers in partnership with officials to see whether there was a new dimension which the all-too-ready use of the bulldozer in our city centres since the war had in some way driven from sight. All of us have seen the growing new housing estates and urban areas and are increasingly concerned that something might be missing in human terms from the infrastructure we are creating on such a vast scale.

It was very much with that sort of thing in mind that my right hon. Friend made his announcement. As one of the Ministers who will share in the investigation I look forward to the opportunity of talking to a large number of people living in areas of the sort to which the hon. Member has referred and in many of the new areas to see whether there are new initiatives open to the central Government to bring a fuller application of human happiness to the new cities and to those we are rebuilding. But there will always be a problem and it is highlighted by this case.

We have to define very carefully the position of central Government vis-à-vis local government and here tonight we have found a whole range of issues which are matters for local people to decide. Obviously we in the Department would not for one moment try to avoid taking an interest in the case of this sort, but we would have to make it clear that having given local authorities a very real range of powers in these matters we should not then be expected to step in and exercise those powers for the local authorities.

For the existing authorities, and even more so after 1974 for the reorganised authorities, we will try to create a new sense of independence and purpose for them to get on with the job of running areas for which they are responsible, using the powers we have given them.

In this case the responsibility is the local authority's. I do not want to appear in any way unsympathetic but it is important that the hon. Member's 397 anxieties are directed to where they belong. The history of the case is worth rehearsing before I make certain observations. In 1971 the Medical Officer of Health for Manchester represented to the City Council that the Crab Village cottages were unfit. As a result the village action group and the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society asked the Department to list the cottages as a way of preserving them. They also asked that the village should be designated a conservation area.

The Chief Inspector in the Department saw photographs of the cottages and he advised that although attractive in the way the hon. Member has described, they were not sufficiently important architecturally to justify special inspection in advance of the general survey by Manchester which is due to start at the end of the current year. He was doubtful whether the cottages were of statutory list quality, which demands a very high standard of architectural merit. Large numbers of properties are very attractive and of architectural merit but do not come within the tight and extremely high standards.

The other alternative suggested—the designation of a conservation area—is a matter for the local planning authority, which in this case is the city council. Therefore, the Antiquarian Society was advised to make representations to the city council.

The hon. Gentleman referred to the letter from the Civic Trust. He is correct in saying that in 1971 the Civic Trust for the North West sent to the Secretary of State a copy of a letter it had sent to the city council. It was obviously approaching the matter in the correct way. It asked the council not to clear the village. It wanted the cottages and their environmental areas rehabilitated with Housing Act grants that were available for that purpose.

The Secretary of State has always had to make it clear that he was not in a position to intervene because of the quasi-judicial situation in which he might find himself. One of the ways in which the city council might have intervened would have involved the use of the compulsory purchase mechanism or a clearance order. In either case the Secretary of State might have had to hear appeals, 398 and in those circumstances he must remain independent of the day-to-day discussions that could lead up to decisions that might result in appeals.

I understand that the city council has suspended a decision on the medical officer of health's recommendation and is now considering a report by the village action group, which has retained its own surveyor. I cannot over-emphasise that the next move therefore lies with the city council.

It is particularly timely in this respect that in the Budget debate last week it was announced that Manchester is to be an intermediate area, and will therefore qualify for the higher improvement grants given to development and intermediate areas under the Housing Act, 1971. This means that owners can receive grants of up to three-quarters of the approved costs of improvement. In other areas not so designated those grants are only 50 per cent. The maximum grant is raised under the new provisions applying to Manchester to £1,500 as opposed to the earlier ceiling of £1,000 which applies to the non-intermediate or non-development areas.

I very much hope that as a result of this debate even wider publicity will be given to the change in the status of housing grants in the Manchester area. One of the satisfying aspects of working in my Department has been the very large number of extra grants we have been able to make in the past year compared with the year before. There has been a doubling to about 200,000 in the past 12 months. If the debate does nothing else but to give a chance to publicise the additional opportunities available to owners of property in the Manchester area, the hon. Member for Blackley will have done a valuable evening's work.

I hope I shall not be felt to have tried to remove myself too much from the of involvement. I should like to be as involved as possible, but I must continue to stress the independence of local authorities and how much we want to encourage them to be responsible for this sort of work and not to feel that the central Government are constantly breathing down their necks. I hope that the city council will be able to reach a decision on the matter soon, but it will want to take into account the new grants available.

399 I also hope that hon. Gentlemen will feel that the initiative of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in trying to look specifically for the sort of reasons the hon. Gentleman referred to in the inner areas, the stress areas, of big cities 400 is very much in tune with the spirit in which I felt him to have initiated the debate.