HC Deb 08 December 1953 vol 521 cc204-6W
Mr. Mitchison

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when, and why, he reduced the minimum height of habitable rooms in Model Byelaw (Buildings) 77 from eight feet to seven feet six inches; in how many cases he has refused to approve byelaws requiring eight feet; and why he refuses to allow local authorities to enforce, within their own areas, a standard higher in this respect than that now prescribed by the model byelaws.

Mr. H. Macmillan

The minimum height of habitable rooms was first reduced to 7 feet 6 inches in the Model Byelaws issued in November, 1952. and it was so reduced for the reasons that since 1945 many local authorities had either amended or relaxed their byelaws to permit the building of houses with rooms of that height, that such height is regarded as adequate on both hygienic and architectural grounds, and that it was recommended by the advisory committee which assisted in the preparation of the model.

I have refused approval to a byelaw requiring a greater height in about 100 cases, and in most of them the model has now been adopted.

As regards the last part of the Question, I think it unreasonable to enforce as a penal requirement a height greater than that which well-informed opinion regards as adequate.

Mr. Osborne

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the Cleethorpes Borough Council desire to maintain the highest possible standard for house building in their area; and if he will grant their request that the new local byelaws may require an 8 ft. minimum ceiling height instead of the 7ft. 6 in. ceiling height that has been proposed.

Mr. H. Macmillan

The answer to the first part of the Question is Yes, and to the second part No. I am satisfied on the advice I have received that a minimum height of 7 ft. 6 in. is generally satisfactory, and I know of no special conditions in Cleethorpes which make it unsatisfactory there.

Mr. Osborne

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of his decision that all local byelaws must permit houses to be built with a minimum 7 ft. 6 in. ceiling height instead of the previous 8 ft. minimum, he will give an undertaking that local authorities who wish to build up to the 8 ft. ceiling height will be granted the necessary consent to borrow.

Mr. H. Macmillan

I am satisfied—as was my predecessor—that a 7 ft. 6 in. ceiling height is adequate. Authoritative opinion is that it is in no way detrimental to health. It is generally welcomed by architects as giving better elevational proportions. Many local authorities have adopted this ceiling height and have thereby saved building materials and costs, and so kept their rents down. I would expect local authorities wanting to borrow to provide higher ceilings to show cause.