HC Deb 23 July 1968 vol 769 cc53-4W
48. Mr. Newens

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he decided not to confirm the Bishop's Stortford Urban District Council (New-town) No. 1 Compulsory Purchase Order, 1967.

Mr. Greenwood

This Order included 77 houses and two shops. The council represented that 35 houses were unfit for habitation or otherwise injurious to health and should be demolished and that the others needed to be bought and also demolished for satisfactory development.

There were objections to the Order. A Ministry Inspector held a local inquiry and inspected the houses. He found only 17 unfit and thought many of these could be made fit. He recommended against the Order. I agreed, having regard to the overwhelming preponderance of fit houses, that demolition was not appropriate.