Britain: An official handbook > 1966

PLANNING AND HOUSING
Town
Development
Schemes
183
and the magistrates’ court) are situated in the town centres, where some of
the most recent planning ideas (notably the separation of the pedestrian
from the motorist) are being put into practice. A number of the more
developed towns are becoming regional centres and, as the populations grow
large enough to give the necessary support, full entertainment and recrea¬
tional facilities such as skating rinks, dance halls, bowling alleys, swimming
pools and sports stadiums are gradually being provided.
Under the New Towns Act 1946 Parliament approved a consolidated
fund of ^50 million to provide for advances to the development corporations
for work on the new towns. This fund was increased by subsequent Acts
and now stands at £550 million. A total of about £400 million had been
advanced to the corporations by March 1965.
The Town Development Act 1952 makes provision for the relief of con¬
gestion in large industrial towns in England and Wales by encouraging the
transfer of population and industry from these areas to places suitable for
expansion. Schemes have been approved for moving more than a quarter of
a million people and, so far, about 32,000 families have moved under
arrangements of this kind.
The Housing and Town Development (Scotland) Act 1957 makes
similar provision for Scotland; agreements between Glasgow Corporation and
other authorities provide for the housing of over 15,000 Glasgow families
outside the city.
Redevelopment of outworn and obsolete areas is taking place in many
towns: Glasgow, for example, has started a programme of rebuilding 30 areas,
housing nearly a third of its population and accommodating much of the
industry and commerce of the city. Detailed proposals for four of these areas
have been approved and the work of clearance and rebuilding is well
advanced.
National Parks The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 provided that
and Access to selected areas of beautiful country in England and Wales should become
the Countryside national parks, where the characteristic landscape would be safeguarded and
facilities for open-air recreation provided or improved.
A National Parks Commission was set up by the Act and its work has
resulted in the establishment of ten national parks: the Peak District, the Lake
District, Snowdonia, Dartmoor, the Pembrokeshire coast, the North York
Moors, the Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor, Northumberland and the Brecon
Beacons. These parks cover a total area of 5,254 square miles, almost one-
eleventh of the area of England and Wales. They have various forms of
administration, based on representation of the local planning authorities of
the areas in which they are situated, plus members nominated by the Minister
of Land and Natural Resources. These specially constituted authorities
control development in the parks (which are still in private ownership) and
take steps to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the landscape and
to promote enjoyment of the area by the public. For instance, trees are
planted to screen blemishes on the landscape, unsightly structures are
removed, new building is made to harmonise with the natural surroundings,
advertisement displays are reduced, and car parks and camping and caravan
sites are provided in suitable localities, together with information centres to
help visitors. Government grants at the rate of 75 per cent are available for
certain measures designed to enhance natural beauty and improve recreational
facilities.
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