HC Deb 28 July 1938 vol 338 cc3322-3W
Mr. Short

asked the Minister of Health whether the land has yet been acquired for the following schemes of the Portsmouth City Council: the erection of a new mental hospital on a site over the hill near Southwick, the establishment in the same area of a mental colony, the new police and fire brigade headquarters, new indoor baths and medical baths, Lumps Fort scheme, abbatoir, nurses home and maternity home at St. Mary's Hospital, old people's home at St. Mary's Institution, and the Eastern Road scheme; and if he will say for each case what is the area, the price paid or agreed, and the previous rateable value?

Mr. Elliot

The following table gives the information asked for by the hon. Member so far as it is available:

Name of Scheme. Whether land has yet been acquired. Area Price paid or agreed
Acres
1. Erection of New Mental Hospital "over the Hill near Southwick." No — —
2. Establishment of a Mental Colony in the same area. No — —
3. New Police and Fire Brigade Headquarters. Approximately one acre was acquired prior to 1895. The remainder, comprising about 1/7th of an acre, is scheduled under the Portsmouth Fire Brigade Extension (Compulsory Purchase) Order, 1936, and includes nine dwelling-houses and a public house; nine of these premises, the aggregate rateable value of i which at the time of purchase was £106, have been purchased for approximately £3,200.
4. New Indoor Baths and Medical Baths. Yes 1 This land forms part of approximately nine acres purchased from the War Department in 1933 tor £5,750.
5. Lumps Fort Scheme Yes 14½ £25,000. Purchased from War Department.
6. Abattoir Yes 319⅕ Part of 185⅗ acres purchased from the War Department in 1930 for £12,000.
7. Nurses' Home and Maternity Home at St. Mary's Hospital Yes 4½ Part of a larger area Purchased prior to 1889
8. Old People's Home at St. Mary's Institution. Yes 3
9. Eastern Road Scheme Approximately 4½ acres have been acquired for the first section of this scheme at a cost of £1,548.
Rateable Values.—The rateable value of the property purchased from the War Department cannot be given as the Government made a contribution in lieu of rates; it is not possible to give the rateable values of other sites which formed part of larger areas assessed as a whole.