§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government's proposed scheme to assist private owners of Airey houses will come into effect; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyThe scheme to assist private owners of Airey houses came into operation today. Special financial help will now be available to private owners of Airey houses who purchased their properties before 7 September 1982 at valuations which did not reflect the existence of structural defects subsequently discovered in supporting columns. The outline of the scheme is as follows:
- 1. Airey house owners can now apply to their local authority for repair grants covering 90 per cent. of repair costs subject to a maximum expenditure limit, the cost of such grants to be met by the Exchequer. Owners can apply for an ex-gratia payment of an equivalent amount if the work has already been carried out;
- 2. Alternatively, if an owner does not wish to undertake repairs, he will be able to offer his house for sale to the local authority (or Government Department if the property was originally sold by a Department), at current market value plus an ex-gratia sum equal to 90 per cent. of the cost of the difference between that value and its 'defect free' value. Owners will have until 7 September 1985 to exercise this option.
68W
Address Town Area m2/Acres St. Andrews House Bury St. Edmunds 2,586.3 m2 Meat insp. building Parker Avenue, ground floor Felixstowe 7.2 m2 Waterguard Office, Dockhead, Docks Ipswich 102.8 m2 Cycle Store, St Clare House, Greyfriars Ipswich 20.0 m2 Extension to West Bank Terminal Bldg (C&E) Ipswich 333.1 m2 Sea View, Battery Green Road Lowestoft 342.1 m2 Units 14 & 15 Precinct, Borehamgate Sudbury 140.7 m2 Gainsborough Chambers, Weavers Lane Sudbury 183.4 m2 Site for car park, Portman Road/Princes St (for Greyfriars) Ipswich 50 spaces Lower Ground Floor, Shirehall Bury St. Edmunds 29.3 m2 Car Park, 17/19 Cornhill Ipswich 12 spaces New Passenger Terminal, The Docks Felixstowe 433.9 m2 2 Looms Lane Bury St Edmunds 272.2 m2 Annexe to Customs House, Felixstowe Dock Felixstowe 592.8 m2 Car park for Haven House, Wingfield Street Ipswich 25 spaces 71 High Street Brandon 71.2 m2 Ground and 1st Floors, Garland House, Garland Street Bury St Edmunds 698.6 m2 1st Floor, 103 High Street Newmarket 189.7 m2 2nd Floor, 7 Car Spaces, Garland House Bury St Edmunds 279.4 m2 1st Floor, 87 Ipswich Street Stowmarket 112.0 m2 99 Ipswich Street Stowmarket 48.3 m2 97 Ipswich Street Stowmarket 64.2 m2 Ground Floor, 6 St Mary's Street Bungay 101.0 m2 1st Floor, 65 High Street Haverhill 185.8 m2 4th Floor, Princes House, Princes Street Ipswich 240.3 m2 59/61 The Thoroughfare Woodbridge 399.5 m2 Europic House Felixstowe 615.8 m2 Car Park, Waterguard Office Felixstowe 15 spaces 29/31 Hamilton Road and Pt 18 Orwell Road Felixstowe 244.4 m2 Office for County Court, 8 Arcade Street Ipswich 1,077.6 m2 Full details of the scheme have been set out in a circular (`(1) Airey houses, (2) Improvement to Older Housing: Housing Acts 1974 and 1980' DOE circular 6/83 and Welsh Office Circular 4/83) which is being sent today to local authorites; copies of this have been placed in the Library.