| AdminHistory | From the 1970s, Local Authorities could designate certain neighbourhoods as Housing Action Areas (HAAs). An area would be declared as such on the grounds that living conditions in it were unsatisfactory. Local Authorities faced with the problem of dilapidated housing stock were faced with two options: 1). clearance and redevelopment or 2). rehabilitation. There was a shift in emphasis on rehabilitation during the 1970s with the further option of municipilisation (which was relatively more expensive) or the provision of grants to leave homes in private ownership. The practice of 'enveloping' was taken up in the late 1970s whereby, with the aid of Government funding, the Local Authority offered grants to renew or repair roofs, chimneys, guttering, pointing, windows and paintwork. Homes in HAAs could take advantage of the enveloping scheme with builders gaining from economies of scale and Local Authorities benefiting from lower administrative costs. Enveloping was replaced by the system of 'Group Repair' in the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act which, in the same way, faciliatated the renovation of older run-down, privately-owned properties, but with contributions from owners varying according to means. (Source: Paul N. Balchin and Maureen Rhoden, Housing Policy: An Introduction, 2002; Sheffield City Council press release re. Group Repair, 1991).
A number of areas were designated HAAs in Sheffield during the 1980s and the system of 'enveloping' was successfully employed. Areas that benefited from enveloping included:
The Lakes HAA - the long strip of land bounded by Abbeydale Road, the railway line and the River Sheaf (including Coniston Road, Rydal Road etc.)
Shoreham Street HAA
St Barnabas HAA
Tinsley
Darnall renewal area
Staniforth Road
Shoreham Street
Birdwell Road [Grimesthorpe]
Regent Court, Hillsborough
Haywood Park, Deepcar
The first 'Group Repair' scheme in Sheffield refurbished terraced houses at Haywood Park, Deepcar in 1991. |
| Description | Correspondence files and reports relating to housing and 'enveloping' schemes, 1972 - 1991 (CA1001/1).
Many include submissions to the Department of the Environment (DOE) which contain: general information, a description of the Housing Action Area (HAA), maps and details of dwellings.
Areas covered:
Ellesmere [Burngreave] general improvement area;
The Lakes HAA - the long strip of land bounded by Abbeydale Road, the railway line and the River Sheaf (including Coniston Road, Rydal Road etc.);
Shoreham Street HAA;
St Barnabas HAA;
Tinsley;
Darnall renewal area;
Staniforth Road;
Shoreham Street;
Birdwell Road [Grimesthorpe];
Regent Court, Hillsborough;
Haywood Park, Deepcar.
Photographs of terraced houses in Housing Action Areas, [1980s - 1990s] (CA1001/2). |
| CustodialHistory | These items were received via Sheffield City Counci's Records Management Service. |