Post-war Hillfields

The Town and Country Planning Act 1944 allowed Local Authorities to declare Areas of Comprehensive Development. Hillfields was one of three prepared in the1940s (the others were the central area and Spon End) it having suffered through decay and wartime bombing. 

In the Development Plan of  1951 Hillfields was designated as a "Comprehensive Development Area" (CDA) with the local authority being able to exercise Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers. By 1961 it was recorded that 53% of houses in Hillfields were likely to be declared unfit within the next five years. Work began on the CDA at the beginning of the 1960s. 

It was proposed to house a population of 6000 at the high density of 116 persons to the acre. Flats were to provide 70% of all new dwellings. By 1965 three 10-storey blocks had been completed and one 17-storey block was under construction and a 30-storey block beside Swanswell Pool was contemplated. Covered pedestrian ways, threading between the blocks at different levels were planned, as well as a shopping centre and pedestrian access to the city centre and small "corner shops". Some of the existing factories were to be retained, others re-sited. One car parking space per dwelling was proposed. 

Work on the CDA continued into the 1970s and eventually 13 blocks of flats were built in Hillfields with much of the older parts of Hillfields were comprehensively redeveloped. But there was a change in policy in the early 1970s and emphasis was placed on retaining and modernising the older houses. Hillfields was at the forefront of this change of policy with the country's first General Improvement Area (GIA) being designated at Colchester Street / Winchester Street in an area previously earmarked for clearance. The powers gave the opportunity for local residents to declare their own GIA and the country's first resident declared GIA was established at Hartlepool, Redcar, Stockton Road (HRS). 

The philosophy of GIAs was that the houses and the environment were to be upgraded together. A budget of £300 per dwelling was allowed for environmental improvement and significant changes were brought about, including the creation of new service roads at Colchester / Winchester Street and restructuring of the parking on the street at HRS. However the GIA approach was watered down in the late 1970s and Housing Action Areas were declared instead. These put more emphasis on the improvement of the housing stock with only £50 per dwelling allowed for environmental improvement  - enough for surfacing and gating entries but nothing more.

The election of the Conservative Government in 1979 brought about a number of policy changes in the housing sphere. The city's last purpose built Council Housing estate was completed in the Brook Street area of Hillfields in 1979. No new general purpose Council Houses were ever built in the city afterwards. The principle of targeting house improvement on an area basis also ended in the 1980s and thereafter housing improvement grants were only given to those in most need and for properties in the worst condition - therefore scattered over the city rather than targeted to local areas.  

This page was last updated 27/05/03