HC Deb 27 October 1920 vol 133 cc1749-50W
Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

asked the Minister of Health whether he has approved a housing scheme for the parish of Moreton, Staffordshire, submitted by the rural district council of Gnosall, which would involve the dispossession of a smallholder and the only blacksmith in the village; whether the owner of the land, who is himself a smallholder, has offered an alternative site which would avoid any evictions; whether he is satisfied that new houses are required in Moreton and that the alternative site offered is equally suitable: whether the rural district council have already given notice for compulsory acquisition; whether the appeal of the owner and the two threatened present occupiers against this notice has been received; and whether, in view of the local feeling aroused by this case, he will authorise an independent inquiry before allowing the compulsory acquisition of an unsuitable site to proceed?

Dr. ADDISON

A scheme has been approved for the erection of 12 houses on land in the parish referred to. The site is part of land owned by a smallholder, and a blacksmith's shed was recently erected on the ground. Approval was given to this site so long ago as November, 1919, and I understand that terms of purchase were provisionally agreed between the local authority and the owner last January. Considerable delay has been caused by the desire of the owner to import conditions into the contract, but it was not till 30th September that he intimated any unwillingness to sell. An Order for the compulsory purchase of the site has been submitted to me by the local authority, since the making of which the owner has offered an alternative site, which had previously been considered and rejected as unsuitable. In view of the fact that the points at issue between the council and the owner were so small, plans for the lay-out of the site and for the houses have been prepared by the Council and approved, and a tender for the erection of the houses has been approved and accepted. I do not think that the erection of these houses should be further delayed, and I propose to confirm the compulsory Order forthwith.